Criminal cases
A CASE судебное разбирательство is any proceeding, action or lawsuit initiated through the court system by filing a COMPLAINT иск. The complaint is a formal written charge обвинение that a person has committed совершил a criminal offence.
A criminal case is brought by the state возбуждается государством against a person or persons person charged with a crime обвиняемых в преступлении. The state is called the PLAINTIFF; the accused person is called the DEFENDANT.
The charge against the defendant is called an information or a complaint. If the defendant has pleaded not guilty заявил о своей невиновности his innocence is presumed презюмируется throughout the whole trial unless the plaintiff proves доказывает the defendant's guilt.
The plaintiff’s burden of proof is greater in a criminal case than in a civil case. The plaintiff must prove the defendant's guilt beyond reasonable doubt доказать вину при отсутствии обоснованного в том сомнения before the defendant can be found guilty.
In criminal cases the verdict must be unanimous, which means that all jurors must agree that the defendant is guilty in order to overcome the presumption of innocence.
8. Steps of the trial
TRIAL is the examination of a case расследование дела before a court of law, often to determine a person ' s guilt or innocence.
Events in a trial usually happen in a particular order. The steps of a trial are:
1: SELECTION OF THE JURY отбор присяжных. Jury pool is formed by randomly selecting the law-abiding citizens who are eligible for service. Than the jury panel is formed during VOIR DIRE – when the judge and the lawyers ask jurors different questions to find out whether they will be impartial and fair. Some jurors who are biased can be CHALLENGED. After that the JURY FOR THE CASE is formed.
2: OPENING STATEMENTS вступительные речи. The lawyers for each side present a general picture of what they want to prove about the case.
3: PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCE представление показаний. It is the right and the duty of alls parties to present evidence свидетельские показания. Witnesses свидетели testify at trial. Their testimony устные свидетельские показания is evidence. Evidence may also take the form of physical exhibits, such as a gun or a photograph. What the lawyers say in their opening and closing statements is not evidence. During the presentation of evidence lawyers can object выступать с протестом to the things which they consider improper under the laws of evidence. It is up to the judge to decide whether each objection is valid правомерный протест or invalid, and whether it can be sustained поддержать протест or overruled отклонить.
4: CLOSING ARGUMENTS заключительные речи. The lawyers sum up the case. They discuss the evidence that has been presented or comment on the credibility of witnesses надёжность свидетеля.
5: THE INSTRUCTIONS. The judge instructs the jury on the law that is to be applied in the deliberations on a verdict. In some courts, the judge may give the jury a written copy of instructions to take to the jury room.
6: JURY DELIBERATION совещание присяжных. The jury retires to the jury room удаляется в комнату для совещаний присяжных to conduct the deliberations on the verdict. The jury first elects a foreman старшина присяжных who will check that discussion is conducted in a sensible and orderly fashion. When a verdict has been reached, the foreman signs it and informs the bailiff. The jury returns to the courtroom, where the foreman presents the verdict зачитывает вердикт.
The judge then discharges освобождает the jury from the case.
Jury Deliberation совещание присяжных and verdict
The jury retires to the jury room удаляется в комнату для совещаний присяжных to conduct the deliberations чтобы провести совещание on the verdict.
VERDICT, in law, is the decision of the jury upon matters of fact submitted to them for determination.
In civil cases, verdicts may be either general (the jury pronounces generally in favor of в пользу either the plaintiff or the defendant) or special (the jury reviews the facts, but leaves to the court any decisions on questions of law arising from those facts).
In criminal cases, the jury renders a general verdict of “guilty” or “not guilty.”
In criminal cases the jury's verdict must be unanimous. Jury verdicts do not need to be unanimous единогласное решение присяжных in civil cases.
When a verdict has been reached, the foreman signs it and informs the bailiff. The jury returns to the courtroom, where the foreman presents the verdict зачитывает вердикт. The judge then discharges освобождает the jury from the case.