Proof & Defenses in Criminal Cases
How do prosecutors try to prove guilt? How do defendants try to disprove it? What kind of information is the prosecution and defense entitled to, and how do they introduce it at trial? This section answers these questions and others, taking an in-depth look at the way criminal trials take shape.
Hearsay is a verbal or written statement by someone to a witness who, while testifying in court, repeats the statement.
If done properly, trying to interview prosecution witnesses can be an effective investigation technique for the defense.
Discovery is the process through which defendants find out about the prosecution's case.
The government has a duty to preserve certain types of evidence it collects during criminal investigations and prosecutions.
Learn what determines whether a state or the federal government prosecutes a criminal case.
What makes a crime a crime?
Here are some common defenses that criminal defendants raise—innocence, alibi, self-defense, intoxication, insanity, and more.
There are two kinds of immunity. Learn when a witness can take the Fifth and what type of immunity a prosecutor might offer in exchange for their testimony.
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