If you are challenging the charges that have been levied against you, there’s a good chance that you’ll end up having your case heard before a judge or jury. You may have a surface-level understanding for what this entails from television and movies, but the actual process is likely a bit different from how it’s depicted in Hollywood. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at the stages of a criminal trial in Minnesota.
Stages Of Criminal Process
If you and your lawyer are taking your case to court, here’s a look at some of the stages you’ll work through en route to justice.
Jury Selection – Jury selection kicks off the jury trial process, and during this time potential jurors will go through questioning from the judge and attorneys on both sides until a group is selected to render a verdict in the trial.
Opening Statements – During opening statements, the prosecution and defense will present broad details of the jury and what they plan to prove and disprove throughout the course of trial.
Witness Testimony/Cross Examination – Witnesses will be called to the stand by both sides to help make their case. Each side will have the opportunity to call their own witnesses and question the witnesses called forth by the other side.
Closing Arguments – After both sides have had a chance to call their witnesses and cross-examine the other side, both the prosecution and defense will get a chance to make closing statements, which sums up their stances and points out flaws in the other side’s narrative.
Jury Instruction – Once both sides have said their peace, the judge will provide the jury with instructions and the legal standards that apply to the case.
Jury Deliberation – The jury will go off and discuss the case in order to render a verdict.
Verdict Reading – Once a decision has been reached, all parties will return to the courtroom where the jury’s decision will be read for the court.
Certain stages of a criminal trial will take longer than others, which is why cases can commonly take weeks, months or even longer. Because there are a number of complicated stages and because you want the best chance of receiving a happy outcome, it’s always in your best interest to reach out to an experienced criminal defense lawyer if you need help navigating any or all of the stages of your case. For more information, or for help with your case, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm at (952) 224-2277.
