Definitions

You can be arrested and charged with disorderly conduct if you recklessly cause inconvenience, annoyance or alarm by: -         Engaging in fighting, in threatening harm to persons or property, or in violent or turbulent behavior; -         Making unreasonable noise or an offensive coarse utterance, gesture, or display or communicating unwarranted and grossly abusive language to [...]

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After receiving the instructions and hearing the final arguments, the jury retires to the jury room to begin deliberating. In most states the first order of business is to elect one of the jurors as the foreperson or presiding juror. This person’s role is to preside over discussions and votes of the jurors, and often [...]

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After reaching a decision, the jury notifies the bailiff, who notifies the judge. All of the participants reconvene in the courtroom and the decision is announced. The announcement may be made by either the foreperson or the court clerk. Possible verdicts in criminal cases are “guilty” or “not guilty.” Sometimes, if the jury cannot unanimously [...]

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The best way to answer this question is to quote a jury instruction that best sets out in our opinion, the concept of reasonable doubt in a criminal case: The burden is upon the prosecution to prove by the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt every material and necessary element of the offense charged against the [...]

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In order to establish an alibi, an individual must be able to provide proof that he or she wasn’t at the scene of the crime. Often, testimony from other individuals is used to establish where the person was or wasn’t. Other records, such as work records or videos that are date- and time- stamped, can [...]

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The best way to answer this question is to quote a jury instruction that best sets out in our opinion, the concept of reasonable doubt in a criminal case: The burden is upon the prosecution to prove by the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt every material and necessary element of the offense charged against the [...]

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After reaching a decision, the jury notifies the bailiff, who notifies the judge. All of the participants reconvene in the courtroom and the decision is announced. The announcement may be made by either the foreperson or the court clerk. Possible verdicts in criminal cases are “guilty” or “not guilty.” Sometimes, if the jury cannot unanimously [...]

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The judge instructs the jury about the relevant laws that should guide its deliberations. (In some jurisdictions, the court may instruct the jury at any time after the close of evidence. This sometimes occurs before closing arguments.) The judge reads the instructions to the jury. This is commonly referred to as the judge’s charge to [...]

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The defense lawyer may choose not to present evidence, in the belief that the plaintiff or government did not prove its case. Usually, however, the defense will offer evidence. In a criminal case, the witnesses presented by the defense may or may not include the defendant. Because the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects [...]

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