criminal procedure
Courtroom legal steps
Criminal procedure is the body of law governing how criminal cases move through the legal system—from investigation and arrest through trial and appeal.
It covers police conduct, arraignment, bail, discovery, jury selection, sentencing, and defendants' rights.
The defense attorney argued the evidence was obtained in violation of criminal procedure.
Distinguished from criminal law, which defines the offenses themselves.
Legal decision-making body
- verdictOfficial court decision
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
- cross-examinationOpposing party questions witness
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
defense · witness · evidence · opening statement · closing argument · deliberation · judgment · acquittal
Ban on repeated prosecution
- speedy trialTimely court proceeding guaranteed
- public trialCourt case with observers
- jury trialLegal proceeding with citizen panel
- right to counselDefendant's guaranteed legal representation
due process · equal protection · habeas corpus · excessive bail · Sixth Amendment · Fifth Amendment · Fourth Amendment · presumption of innocence
Charge-reading court session
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- arrestSeize by law
- bookingAdvance arrangement secured
- bailCourt-set release payment
bond · preliminary hearing · grand jury · probable cause · discovery · motion · subpoena · plea
Penalty for an offense
- incarcerationConfinement in jail
- probationSupervised trial period
- paroleConditional early release
- fineAcceptable in quality
restitution · community service · mandatory minimum · guidelines · aggravating factors · mitigating factors · allocution · suspended sentence
Professional crime investigator
- interrogationFormal, probing examination
- forensicsScientific crime-scene analysis
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- search warrantDocument permitting lawful premises examination
fingerprinting · arrest warrant · Miranda warning · booking · lineup · confession · chain of custody · informant
Formal review request
- writCourt-issued directive
- certiorariHigher court's review order
- remandReturn for further proceedings
- reversalComplete change of direction
affirmance · appellate court · post-conviction · record · brief · oral argument · de novo · precedent
jury
Legal decision-making body
- verdictOfficial court decision
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
- cross-examinationOpposing party questions witness
prosecution · defense · witness · evidence · opening statement · closing argument · deliberation · judgment · acquittal · conviction
double jeopardy
Ban on repeated prosecution
- speedy trialTimely court proceeding guaranteed
- public trialCourt case with observers
- jury trialLegal proceeding with citizen panel
right to counsel · due process · equal protection · habeas corpus · excessive bail · Sixth Amendment · Fifth Amendment · Fourth Amendment · presumption of innocence · Gideon
arraignment
Charge-reading court session
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- arrestSeize by law
- bookingAdvance arrangement secured
bail · bond · preliminary hearing · grand jury · probable cause · discovery · motion · subpoena · plea · plea bargaining
punishment
Penalty for an offense
- incarcerationConfinement in jail
- probationSupervised trial period
- paroleConditional early release
fine · restitution · community service · mandatory minimum · guidelines · aggravating factors · mitigating factors · allocution · suspended sentence · concurrent
detective
Professional crime investigator
- interrogationFormal, probing examination
- forensicsScientific crime-scene analysis
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
search warrant · fingerprinting · arrest warrant · Miranda warning · booking · lineup · confession · chain of custody · informant · wiretap
appeal
Formal review request
- writCourt-issued directive
- certiorariHigher court's review order
- remandReturn for further proceedings
reversal · affirmance · appellate court · post-conviction · record · brief · oral argument · de novo · precedent
- criminal justicearrest, jail, court, prison, guilty
- lawlaw, lawyer, lawyers, attorney, attorneys
- legal systemattorney, landmark cases, lawyers, legal precedents, civil cases
- lawslaws, statute, ordinance, acts, statutes
- criminal lawfelony, misdemeanor, murder, robbery, theft
- legal fieldscivil law, administrative law, common law, family law, corporate law
criminal procedurecriminal law
Statutes defining punishable offenses
penal code · criminal liability · sentencing guidelines · criminal statutes
criminal procedurecivil procedure
Rules for lawsuits
civil litigation · tort law · contract law · civil law · family law
criminal procedurerestorative justice
Conflict resolution through mutual healing
mediation · arbitration · plea bargaining · community justice · vigilante justice
crime, criminal, procedure, crimes, procedures, proceeding, criminality, procedural, incriminate