Produce

For unit three seminar it discussed the filing of a complaint for a criminal case. It also talks about the setting of bond through the defendant’s arraignment. For the seminar we were also to discuss the difference between grand jury and preliminary hearing. For the start of a criminal case it begins with the filing of a complaint, mostly someone reporting a crime or annoyance. Then an investigation is launched and if a crime was committed and a suspect with enough evidence against them they are arrested and that then goes into the courts for the setting of the bond and arraignment trail. The arraignment trail is set up as the trail where a plea is given. Depending on where the crime is there are six different pleas, guilty, not guilty, nolo contendere, not guilty by reason of insanity, former jeopardy, or former judgment of acquittal or conviction. If they plea not guilty or not guilty by reason of insanity a trail has to take place to establish if the possible offender really did commit the crime. The next thing to be discussed that was in the seminar is what the differences are between preliminary hearing and the grand jury. For grand juries if probable cause is found, an indictment is returned against the defendant. In the case of the preliminary hearing or examination if cause is found, the defendant goes to trial. For the preliminary hearings they are open hearings and are formal judicial proceedings. Grand juries are closed and informal. Grand juries do not have a judge that presides over the case also the defendant has no right to be present or present evidence. Preliminary hearing has judges and the defendant can present evidence. These are just a few of the differences for these two.
But there is a quick overview of what some steps are and the difference between the preliminary hearing and grand juries. Most people believe that the court is a one system kind of thing, but in truth it’s not. Overall unit three seminar brought up some great topics.