pretrial
Before proceedings begin
Pretrial describes the period or proceedings before a trial begins.
A pretrial hearing addresses procedural matters—bail, evidence disputes, plea negotiations—before the case goes to a jury.
Pretrial detention holds defendants who haven't yet been convicted.
The charges were dismissed at the pretrial stage.
Charge-reading court session
- bailCourt-set release payment
- hearingPerceiving sound waves
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- discoveryAct of finding something
motion · plea · subpoena · deposition · conference · continuance · adjournment · docket
Detention facility
- incarcerationConfinement in jail
- custodyProtective care or control
- confinementState of being restricted
- bondBinding tie or connection
release · remand · holding · lockup · imprisonment · awaiting · supervision · monitoring
Freedom from wrongdoing
- presumptionBelief held without proof
- counselExpert guidance offered
- due processGuaranteed judicial fairness
- MirandaCustodial rights advisement
representation · constitutional · access · protection · confrontation · bail · habeas corpus
Party facing charges
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
- defenseProtection against harm
- attorneyLicensed legal representative
- counselExpert guidance offered
lawyer · judge · accused · plaintiff · public defender · prosecutor · magistrate · complainant
Act of finding something
- disclosureAct of revealing information
- documentsFormal written records
- witnessOne who attests
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
exhibits · forensic · subpoena · deposition · interrogatories · preservation · spoliation · expert
Sufficient ability for something
- psychologicalOf the mind
- fitnessGood physical shape
- psychiatricOf mental health treatment
- mentalOf the mind
assessment · screening · forensic · diagnosis · behavioral · cognitive · sanity · capacity
arraignment
Charge-reading court session
- bailCourt-set release payment
- hearingPerceiving sound waves
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
discovery · motion · plea · subpoena · deposition · conference · continuance · adjournment · docket · summons
jail
Detention facility
- incarcerationConfinement in jail
- custodyProtective care or control
- confinementState of being restricted
bond · release · remand · holding · lockup · imprisonment · awaiting · supervision · monitoring · ankle bracelet
innocence
Freedom from wrongdoing
- presumptionBelief held without proof
- counselExpert guidance offered
- due processGuaranteed judicial fairness
Miranda · representation · constitutional · access · protection · confrontation · bail · habeas corpus
defendant
Party facing charges
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
- defenseProtection against harm
- attorneyLicensed legal representative
counsel · lawyer · judge · accused · plaintiff · public defender · prosecutor · magistrate · complainant · respondent
discovery
Act of finding something
- disclosureAct of revealing information
- documentsFormal written records
- witnessOne who attests
testimony · exhibits · forensic · subpoena · deposition · interrogatories · preservation · spoliation · expert · suppression
competency
Sufficient ability for something
- psychologicalOf the mind
- fitnessGood physical shape
- psychiatricOf mental health treatment
mental · assessment · screening · forensic · diagnosis · behavioral · cognitive · sanity · capacity · examination
- criminal justicearrest, jail, court, prison, crime
- criminal trialarraignment, defense attorney, courtroom, prosecutor, charges
- imprisonmentprison, jail, prisoners, cells, captivity
- litigationpleadings, lawsuit, plaintiff, complaint, lawsuits
- civil trialsplaintiff, lawsuit, jury, complaint, civil action
- Court Procedureadjournment, civil procedure, criminal procedure, court hearing, court rules
pretrialpost-trial
After legal proceedings end
posttrial · trial · trial phase · post-conviction · post-judgment
- pretrial releaseFreedom before court proceedings
- pretrial hearingCourt session before formal proceedings
- pretrial detentionCustody before court proceedings
- pretrial settlementResolution before litigation begins
trial, trials, prejudge, prejudices, prejudgment, prejudicial, retrial, prejudicing, trialing