What happens at the trial?
Criminal trials are usually open to the public. The trial is between your partner and the government.
Your partner may have a lawyer. The government always has a lawyer called the Crown Attorney. Most people call this person “the Crown”. The Crown is not your lawyer.
The Crown’s job is to convince the judge beyond a reasonable doubt that your partner committed the crime.
The Crown presents their case first. They will call witnesses and present evidence to prove your partner committed the crime. Your partner’s lawyer can ask the Crown’s witnesses questions.
Then your partner or their lawyer presents the case for your partner. They may present their own evidence and call their own witnesses. If they do, the Crown can ask the witnesses questions.
Each witness must swear an oath on a holy book or promise that they will tell the truth. In some places, Indigenous witnesses can swear on another sacred object, such as an eagle feather, if they prefer.
At the end of the trial, the judge looks at all the evidence and decides if your partner is guilty. The judge may give a decision at the end of the trial, or sometime later.
Some trials only last a couple hours, but some trials can last a few days or even weeks. If your partner is found guilty, there will be a sentencing hearing to determine their punishment. See What sentence could my partner get?
Previous page Next page