People go to court every day, but that doesn't mean it's a simple process. If you have an upcoming court date for a crime for which you were accused, you should understand what to expect during the trial process. If you would like to know more, check out these four steps to expect during your trial.

1. Opening Statements

During the opening statements, both sides get to address the jurors directly to explain why they are there and what happened. During this time, no evidence or witness statements are used, but both the defense attorney and prosecutor may start to set up facts that can be used later. During this time, no one may interrupt the statement to try and rebuke claims. Either side can choose to forgo opening statements.

The prosecutor gives their statement first because they have the burden of proof to prove the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. In some cases, the defense attorney will present their opening statement immediately after the prosecutor's opening statement, but some attorneys wait until the prosecutor has presented their case before making their opening statement. This gives them a better opportunity to directly address what was said and how it will be disproven. 

2. Witnesses and Examinations

Since the prosecution gets to go first, they also get to present witnesses and evidence first. They may use witnesses who saw the crime, heard you mention the crime, etc. Some witnesses may be character witnesses designed to make you look like a bad person. They may also use expert witnesses.

Naturally, the defense attorney can cross-examine the witnesses, even if a witness doesn't want to be cross-examined. Once the prosecution presents their witnesses and evidence, the defense can do the same, but the state can also cross-examine their witnesses.

3. Closing Arguments

The closing arguments are like the opening arguments, except they may have more information that was revealed during the trial. Again, either side can refuse to give closing arguments, and neither side can object or interfere during closing arguments. Typically, these are the last statements the jury hears before they take over.

4. Verdict

Once the jury has made its decision, everyone returns to hear the verdict. Typically, once the decision is made, it's final, but you can appeal. If the jury cannot come to an agreement, the trial may be considered a mistrial. At that point, the state can decide to throw out the case or start the whole process over again.

The trial process can be long or short, but it is always stressful. No one wants to be accused of a crime, especially one they didn't commit. If you would like to know more, contact a criminal law attorney in your area today.

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