What happens at the trial?
The criminal trial takes place in a courtroom that is 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 just call this person “the Crown”. The Crown is not your lawyer.
The Crown’s job is to convince the judge that your partner is guilty about every part of the crime. This is also known as proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Crown presents their case first. Then your partner or their lawyer presents the case for your partner. Each side gives their evidence and calls witnesses to support their version of the event. Each side gets to 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 use an eagle feather to do this, 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 some days 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?
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