A day in court

The case that they gave me Courts deal with different types of cases Criminal Cases : decides if an accused person is guilty or not guilty of a crime Civil Cases: settles disagreement between two parties

All crimes are not created equal Misdemeanor: less serious crime Felony: Very serious crime

Your Day in Court Criminal Cases: 1.Arrest, followed by presentation of probable cause to a judge 2.Bail hearing 3.Arraignment, where plea is entered, attorney appointed, and trial date set 4.Trial, witnesses and evidence are presented 5.Verdict, where the jury (or judge) rules the accused as guilty or not guilty

Let’s be civil here… Civil Cases: 1.The “plaintiff” files a complaint to start the case 2.The “defendant” is person being accused of causing harm 3.If the plaintiff wins, “damages” are awarded. This is usually an amount of money

Do over! A trial or a lawsuit does not have to be the final word on someone’s case Appeal: when someone who loses asks a higher court to reconsider their case