Pretrial Procedures and Trials Review

Flashcards summarizing key vocabulary and concepts related to pretrial procedures, trials, sentencing, and appellate processes.

Pretrial Procedure

The series of steps and legal processes that occur after an arrest and before a trial.

Prosecutorial Discretion

The authority of an agency or officer to decide what charges to bring and how to pursue each case.

Discovery

A pretrial motion in which the defense requests evidence from the prosecution.

Change of Venue

A motion to move the trial to a different geographic location.

Suppression of Evidence

A pretrial motion to exclude evidence from being presented in court due to unlawful methods of obtaining it.

Plea Bargaining

Negotiations between the defense and prosecution where the defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for a concession from the prosecutor.

Charge Reduction

A type of plea bargain where the prosecution agrees to reduce the severity of the charges.

Jury Selection

The process by which jurors are chosen to serve on a jury for a trial.

Presumption of Innocence

The legal principle that one is considered innocent until proven guilty.

Hearsay

A testimony in court about what another person said outside of court, typically inadmissible as evidence.

Restorative Justice

An approach to justice that focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims.

Indeterminate Sentencing

A sentence that does not have a fixed duration, allowing for rehabilitation and parole consideration.

Mandatory Minimums

The minimum sentence that must be imposed for certain crimes, preventing judges from imposing lesser sentences.

Appellate Court

A court that reviews decisions made by lower courts to ensure the law was applied correctly.

Habeas Corpus

A legal action through which a person can seek relief from unlawful detention.

Parens Patriae

The legal doctrine that allows the state to take care of a child or a person who cannot take care of themselves.

Community Engagement

The involvement of community members in the justice process within specialized courts.

Competent Evidence

Evidence that is admissible and can help establish facts relevant to the case.

Trial Sufficiency

The determination of whether there is enough evidence to secure a conviction in a trial.