Judgment

Arrest Procedures

Arrest Procedures When an officer arrests someone, the accused is taken into custody. Similarly, when a grand jury returns an indictment or a prosecutor files an information, a judge or […]

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Bail

Bail Bail is the amount of money defendants must post to be released from custody until their trial. Bail is not a fine. It is not supposed to be used

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The Jury Pool

The Jury Pool The trial jury in either a civil or criminal case is chosen from a list called a venire or jury pool that has been compiled by the court. The

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Evidence

Evidence The heart of the case is the presentation of evidence. There are two types of evidence — direct and circumstantial. Direct evidence usually is that which speaks for itself: eyewitness accounts,

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Direct Examination

Direct Examination Lawyers for the plaintiff or the government begin the presentation of evidence by calling witnesses. The questions they ask of the witnesses are direct examination. Direct examination may elicit both

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Cross-Examination

Cross-Examination When the lawyer for the plaintiff or the government has finished questioning a witness, the lawyer for the defendant may then cross-examine the witness. Cross-examination is generally limited to

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