standing trial
Answering criminal charges
Standing trial means being the defendant in a court case, appearing before a judge or jury to answer criminal charges.
Someone who stands trial faces formal legal proceedings where evidence is presented and their guilt or innocence is determined.
He's standing trial for embezzlement next month.
The phrase implies active participation in the judicial process rather than fleeing, pleading out, or having charges dismissed beforehand.
- criminal chargesFormal accusations of lawbreaking
- prosecutorGovernment's trial lawyer
- juryLegal decision-making body
- judgeOne who decides
- arraignmentCharge-reading court session
court date · plea bargain · verdict · guilty verdict · witness · sworn testimony · dock · presumption of innocence · not guilty · defendant · due process · bench · hung jury · acquittal · cross-examination · opening statement · closing argument · indictment
standing trialacquitted
Declared legally innocent
convicted · exonerated · case dismissed · charges dropped · found guilty
standing trialat large
Free and evading capture
fugitive from justice · on the run · absconding · fugitive · getting away with it
standing trialserving time
Completing a prison sentence
imprisoned · incarcerated · behind bars · in prison · executed
standing, trial, stand, stands, stander, standee, understand, understanding, misunderstand