Pleas
You admit that you did do what you are accused of doing. You give up the right to a jury trial and the judge sentences you.
Guilty
Any offense punishable by not more than 90 days in jail, and fines of $1,000
A misdemeanor
A person charged with a crime
Defendant
What does it mean when the charges are dismissed?
The prosecutor or judge decides there is not enough evidence against you or there is a problem with the case and the charges get dropped.
What kind of clothes should you wear for court?
Nice clothes, something "formal." A button up shirt, nice pants, make sure your hair is combed/brushed and that you are clean.
You are saying that you did not do what you were accused of doing. There may be a trial to determine if you are guilty or not guilty.
Not guilty
Any offense punishable by more than 90 days but less than 1 year in jail, and fines up to $5,000
Gross misdemeanor
· A lawyer on your side
· In the case of a Public Defender, hired to defend you at no cost
· Is to advocate for your stated interests
· Is to try to get you off easy
· Is to get you a light penalty if you are found guilty
Defender (public defender, defense attorney)
What is a sentence?
A length of time that you would have to spend in jail or prison.
How should you behave in the court room?
Be quiet and polite. Only speak out loud when directly spoken to by a judge or attorney. If you need to tell your attorney something, you can whisper to them or write it on a piece of paper.
You are saying that you did do the act of which you are accused, you are not responsible for it because, at the time of the crime: 1) You suffered from a mental illness and 2) You could not tell the difference from right or wrong because of your mental illness.
Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity" (NGI or NGRI) –
Punishable by up to 5 years in prison and/or $10,000 in fines
Class C Felony
• A lawyer against you
• Is paid to prosecute you
• Is to prove that you are guilty
• Is to get you get a hard or heavy penalty if you are found guilty
• Represents the victim’s interests
Prosecutor (“Prosecuting attorney,” “prosecuting lawyer”, “D.A.,” “state’s attorney”)
What does Probation mean?
Additional requirements besides jail or prison time. The judge could order that you do some things, and not do others. This could include reporting to a probation officer, providing urine samples, or not using drugs or alcohol. If you do not follow the rules, you can go back to jail.
Which amendment protects you from having to answer any question that might make you look guilty in court?
The 5th amendment protects citizens from having to answer any questions that may "incriminate," them in court.
You say that you are innocent, but you think the prosecutor has enough evidence to prove that you are guilty.
Alford
Punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or $20,000 in fines
Class B Felony
Sits in the front of the courtroom behind the big table.
Judge (Your honor)
What does Acquittal mean?
You have a trial and are found not guilty. You are finished with the criminal charges and may be free to go.
What is "contempt of court?"
Contempt of court is when someone misbehaves in a court room. This could include talking when you aren't supposed to, making threats towards people, getting up and moving around, or refusing to follow directions from the judge.
True or False: If you plead not guilty, the judge will agree and will dismiss your charges.
False! Your case will likely go to trial, and you will be determined guilty or not guilty by the judge or a jury.
Punishable by up to life years in prison and/or $50,000 in fines
Class A Felony
A person who knows something about what you did or didn’t do
Witness
What is Hospital Commitment?
The court sends you to a hospital until you are better and are not a risk to public safety.
If you intentionally lie in court, it is called perjury. The possible punishment for perjury is...
...up to 5 years in prison.