The criminal litigation process involves several stages that you should know about, especially if your case is likely to go to trial. Being informed will allow you to remain proactive and well prepared for what lies ahead. A top rated The Woodlands TX criminal lawyer will defend you in court and work on giving your case the best chances of yielding a favorable outcome.
The criminal trial process has six main steps. Usually, the legal process gets into motion after an arrest. The police obtain an arrest warrant from a judge if you are accused and the evidence tabled shows that there is a likelihood that you committed a specific crime. Once you are arrested, you have a right to remain silent and request for your attorney.
You will be charged before getting scheduled for an initial court hearing. The judge will let you know about the charges you face and he or she will also explain your rights and bail amount. Based on your jurisdiction, an arraignment may take place during the initial hearing and you can enter a not guilty, guilty or no contest plea.
The state has to create a case against you and it is during the preliminary hearing that they will table evidence to support their case. The next step is referred to as the discovery and pretrial phase where lawyers from both sides meet to share evidence and other important information about a case. During the pretrial, various motions can be filed, depending on the kind of information that is unveiled during discovery.
A reliable lawyer will work on ensuring that your case has the best chances of success from the instance you get arrested. The professional is therefore likely to file motions during pretrial and plead with the courts to dismiss certain charges or suppress specific pieces of evidence. If your chances of enjoying a favorable outcome are still futile after the pretrial, your attorney may recommend getting into a plea bargain.
The trial phase has various parts and the first is the opening statements. After this is the evidence presentation part, witness testimonials and then closing statements. Once you have completed these elements, the case could go to a jury for deliberation and they will later deliver their verdict. The final step of the trial is sentencing and this happens on a different date.
Simply because the jury delivers a guilty verdict does not necessarily mean that all is lost. You at this point have the right to appeal and your lawyer will ascertain that all proper channels are respected and all legalities are followed. You can only appeal if you had pleaded not guilty.
The criminal litigation process is more complicated than most people assume. Even those that are sure of being innocent should not take for granted the need to have a legal advocate. For the best possible outcome, hire a seasoned attorney who has in the past handled both minor misdemeanors and serious felonies.
The criminal trial process has six main steps. Usually, the legal process gets into motion after an arrest. The police obtain an arrest warrant from a judge if you are accused and the evidence tabled shows that there is a likelihood that you committed a specific crime. Once you are arrested, you have a right to remain silent and request for your attorney.
You will be charged before getting scheduled for an initial court hearing. The judge will let you know about the charges you face and he or she will also explain your rights and bail amount. Based on your jurisdiction, an arraignment may take place during the initial hearing and you can enter a not guilty, guilty or no contest plea.
The state has to create a case against you and it is during the preliminary hearing that they will table evidence to support their case. The next step is referred to as the discovery and pretrial phase where lawyers from both sides meet to share evidence and other important information about a case. During the pretrial, various motions can be filed, depending on the kind of information that is unveiled during discovery.
A reliable lawyer will work on ensuring that your case has the best chances of success from the instance you get arrested. The professional is therefore likely to file motions during pretrial and plead with the courts to dismiss certain charges or suppress specific pieces of evidence. If your chances of enjoying a favorable outcome are still futile after the pretrial, your attorney may recommend getting into a plea bargain.
The trial phase has various parts and the first is the opening statements. After this is the evidence presentation part, witness testimonials and then closing statements. Once you have completed these elements, the case could go to a jury for deliberation and they will later deliver their verdict. The final step of the trial is sentencing and this happens on a different date.
Simply because the jury delivers a guilty verdict does not necessarily mean that all is lost. You at this point have the right to appeal and your lawyer will ascertain that all proper channels are respected and all legalities are followed. You can only appeal if you had pleaded not guilty.
The criminal litigation process is more complicated than most people assume. Even those that are sure of being innocent should not take for granted the need to have a legal advocate. For the best possible outcome, hire a seasoned attorney who has in the past handled both minor misdemeanors and serious felonies.
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