pre-trial
Before jury selection
Pre-trial describes the phase of legal proceedings before a trial begins.
Pre-trial motions, hearings, and discovery establish what evidence is admissible and what issues will be contested.
A pre-trial detainee is held in custody awaiting trial: He spent six months in pre-trial detention before the charges were dropped.
Charge-reading court session
- bailCourt-set release payment
- hearingPerceiving sound waves
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- pleaFormal request or defense
discovery · deposition · motion · continuance · docket · preliminary · detention · release
Party facing charges
- prosecutorGovernment's trial lawyer
- defenseProtection against harm
- counselExpert guidance offered
- judgeOne who decides
magistrate · plaintiff · witness · bailiff · clerk · attorney · accused · complainant
Detention facility
- custodyProtective care or control
- remandReturn for further proceedings
- incarcerationConfinement in jail
- bondBinding tie or connection
bail · release · confinement · holding · lockup · awaiting · imprisonment · supervision
Act of finding something
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- witnessesThose who observe events
- documentationWritten proof or instructions
strategy · motions · pleadings · subpoena · briefing · consultation · investigation · interviewing
arraignment
Charge-reading court session
- bailCourt-set release payment
- hearingPerceiving sound waves
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
plea · discovery · deposition · motion · continuance · docket · preliminary · detention · release · conference
defendant
Party facing charges
- prosecutorGovernment's trial lawyer
- defenseProtection against harm
- counselExpert guidance offered
judge · magistrate · plaintiff · witness · bailiff · clerk · attorney · accused · complainant · investigator
jail
Detention facility
- custodyProtective care or control
- remandReturn for further proceedings
- incarcerationConfinement in jail
bond · bail · release · confinement · holding · lockup · awaiting · imprisonment · supervision · monitoring
discovery
Act of finding something
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- witnessesThose who observe events
documentation · strategy · motions · pleadings · subpoena · briefing · consultation · investigation · interviewing · exhibits
- criminal justicearrest, jail, court, prison, crime
- litigationpleadings, lawsuit, plaintiff, complaint, lawsuits
- war crimescrimes against humanity, Nuremberg, war crimes tribunals, prisoner abuse, war criminals
pre-trialpost-trial
After legal proceedings end
trial · appellate · post-conviction · sentencing · post-judgment
pre-trialpost-conviction
After criminal judgment rendered
adjudicated · convicted · sentenced · resolved · concluded