Courtroom Personnel
Who is the person accused of committing a crime?
The defendant
What plea do you enter if you are admitting that you commit the crime?
Guilty
After you plead not guilty, you go to a trial. What is a trial?
A legal process to decide if the defendant is guilty or not guilty based on the evidence
What is the more serious class of crime?
Felony
Who is the person who sent you to the Center for Behavioral Medicine?
Who is in charge of the courtroom?
Judge
What is the plea you enter when you want to fight the charge?
Not guilty
What is the less serious class of crime?
Misdemeanors
Who can you talk to to get more information about your charges or your treatment?
Treatment team
Psychologist
Social Worker
Doctor
Defense attorney
Public defender
Defense counsel
What does it mean to plead no contest?
You are not admitting guilt, but you do not want to fight the charges
You are letting the judge decide what to do
What happens after you enter a guilty plea or after you are found guilty at a trial?
Sentencing
What are potential punishments that someone can get for their charges?
incarceration (prison, jail)
fines
probation
community service
Can you have mental health symptoms and still be found competent to stand trial?
Yes
As long as they do not interfere with your ability to work with your attorney to get the best outcome possible for yourself
Prosecutor
District Attorney (DA)
What is a plea bargain?
A deal between yourself and the district attorney/prosecutor (with guidance from your attorney)
The deal says if you enter a guilty plea, you will be offered lowered charges, a reduced number of charges, or a recommendation for a lesser sentence to the judge
What happens if someone is found NGRI?
They go to a state hospital for treatment for an indefinite period of time
A punishment in which the individual is supervised in the community
The individual is required to follow the rules given by the court and must stay out of trouble
What does it mean to be Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST)?
The defendant has a mental illness or mental health condition that makes it so they are not 100% ready to go to court
The judge thinks the defendant needs treatment before moving forward in their case
What are the three types of witnesses and what do they do?
Eye witness: Someone who can speak to some part of the alleged offense
Character witness: Someone who is called to speak to who you are as a person
Expert witness: Someone who is accepted by the judge as an expert about a particular subject
What does NGRI mean?
Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity
The defendant is saying that they did commit the crime, but their mental illness was a significant factor in committing the act
What is an appeal?
A request for a review of the trial court's decision
If you have been found guilty in trial, you can request to have a higher court review the case if you believe that the court made an error
What rights does the defendant give up if they accept a plea bargain?
Right to remain silent (guilty plea)
Right to a trial, which includes:
- Right to an appeal
- Right to confront accusers
- Right to call witnesses in their favor
What are some things you should know to be prepared for your evaluation with the CFE?
Your charges
How serious your charges are
Questions you might want to ask your attorney