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Jury Trials

It’s common knowledge that every United States citizen is guaranteed the right to a trial by jury by our Constitution, and that any defendant is considered “innocent until proven guilty.” For those new to the criminal process, it’s easy to think that everything will turn out alright once you have the chance to present your side of the story to a jury of your peers. Unfortunately, the trial process is not nearly so simple, and even a simple misunderstanding can become a convoluted case when the prosecution puts their mind to it. To take advantage of the great tool that a jury trial can be, it’s vital to have an experienced criminal defense attorney on your side. Contact Hanlon Law today to schedule a free consultation. 


Generally speaking, prosecutors and police seem to hold the advantage throughout most of the criminal justice system. The power they hold and their familiarity with the system far outweigh the average person’s limited knowledge of how things go, what they can and can’t do, and how easy it is for anything they say or do to be held against them. 


At trial, though, the playing field levels out a little. Since everyone in the United States is “innocent until proven guilty” you are not required to prove your innocence. Rather, the prosecution is burdened with proving beyond a reasonable doubt that you are guilty. You don’t even have to testify if you don’t want to, or answer any questions from the prosecution, as the fifth amendment grants you freedom from being required to incriminate yourself. 


If there isn’t enough evidence to prove to a jury that you are, in fact, guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, the prosecution often won’t move forward with the charges, and will instead focus their efforts on cases with a better chance of conviction. Every step leading up to the trial, then, is an opportunity for an experienced defense lawyer to advocate on your behalf and convince the prosecution to drop the case, or to settle for lesser charges that they have a better chance of convicting. 


Jury Selection


The first step to having a trial by jury is, ostensibly, to obtain said jury. This process, called jury selection or the voir dire, involves a large pool of United States citizens who have been summoned for jury duty gathering in the courtroom to be questioned by the prosecution, defense, and presiding judge. The three parties will remove jurors from the pool based on their answers to these questions, until six remain. This stage is vital for your defense, as it’s your attorney’s chance to keep biased jurors or those with a potential conflict of interest away from your case, and to try and secure jurors who are more likely to be sympathetic to your situation. 


Once the jury has been narrowed down to six jurors, the trial can be scheduled. 


Jury Trial Proceedings


At the actual trial, the jury will first hear an opening statement from both the defense and prosecution. Neither party is allowed to make any argument about their case at this stage; instead, they are simply to present the facts of the case as they see them for the jury to consider. Opening statements are designed to familiarize the jury with the general facts of the case, not convince them of anything. 


Once opening statements are made, the prosecution will present their case. They may call witnesses and present evidence to prove to the jury that you are, beyond a reasonable doubt, guilty as charged. During this stage, the defense will have the opportunity to cross-examine any witnesses if they so choose. It might not always be necessary, or even a good idea, to do so, and an experienced defense attorney will be able to make those calls. 


Once the prosecution has made their case, the defense will have the chance to make yours. This may involve presenting counter evidence, calling witnesses, or simply poking holes in the arguments made by the prosecution. The best course of action will always depend heavily on the facts of the case, the evidence against you, and other circumstances, which is why having a clever attorney who can think on their feet and is familiar with the ins and outs of the courtroom is so vital. 


After both parties have made their case, the jury will listen to closing statements made by each. The closing statement is the final chance for the prosecution and defense to present their respective arguments. From there, the case is out of your hands; the jury will deliberate and ultimately come to a verdict. 


Lakeland Criminal Defense Lawyers 


As you can see, there are a variety of chances throughout the jury trial process where an experienced defense attorney can help your case. It’s important to secure a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible to ensure that they can take advantage of every single one of those opportunities. Will Hanlon with Hanlon law has nearly two decades of experience representing the accused to juries. Our dedicated legal team prepares every case as though it will go all the way to trial, ensuring we are as prepared as is possible. Get started building your best possible defense and call Hanlon Law today to schedule a free consultation.

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