When you are charged with a crime, you will either get the case resolved before you go to trial or you will have to go through the trial. If your case goes through the trial phase, you must be properly prepared. A criminal trial isn’t something that you can handle by flying by the seat of your pants. Instead, you have to fully prepare.
One thing that you have to understand is that the prosecution is the party with the burden of proof. The evidence presented and the witnesses called have to show that you did what you are accused of beyond a reasonable doubt.
This means that you can base your defense strategy on introducing doubt into the mind of each juror. Some defense teams do this by calling points of the prosecution into question. In sex crime cases, you have to be careful not to seem like you are attacking the alleged victim as you mount your defense.
Another point that you should prepare for when you are going through a trial is that you have to choose a suitable jury. During the process of picking the jury, you will be able to challenge specific jurors. You can use the challenges to remove jurors who say things or have a history that makes you think they aren’t appropriate for your trial.
From the jury selection to the outcome of the case, you must understand what is going on. Each step could hold the key to your defense, so be sure that you know what options you have as you work through the trial.
Source: FindLaw, “Criminal Trial Overview,” accessed Feb. 24, 2017
