Courts Unit

When the jury cannot reach a unanimous decision in determining if the defendant committed the crime which results in the trial being declared a mistrial.

• hung jury

• grand jury

• polling the jury

• jury pool

A process by which a jury or a judge decides, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a person accused of a crime is guilty or not guilty of that crime.

• civil trial

• criminal trial

• subpoena process

• preliminary hearing

When the jury believes that the prosecution proved that the defendant violated all elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt they will find the defendant ________ of the crime.

• guilty

• innocent

• not guilty

• no contest

A trial where only the judge decides whether or not the defendant is guilty or not guilty of the charge(s) brought against them.

• jury trial

• bench trial

• civil trial

• grand jury

An agreement between the prosecutor and the defendant where the defendant will plead guilty to a crime and receive a lighter sentence.

• plea bargain

• not guilty plea

• verdict

• bench trial

This type of examination occurs when one side (prosecution or defense) asks the other side’s witnesses questions.

• stipulation

• verdict

• direct

• cross

This term represents the decision made by the jury in a criminal trial.

• plea

• verdict

• bench

• cross-examination

The process by which a jury is selected for a criminal trial.

• actus reus

• voir dire

• corpus delicti

• mens rea

This punishment is typically decided by a jury rather than the judge in a criminal trial.

• death penalty sentence

• misdemeanor jail sentence

• felony prison sentence

• indeterminate sentence

When on cross-examination, it is most appropriate to ask these types of questions which allows the attorney to control the narrative.

• prompted

• leading

• rhetorical

• open-ended