Across
- 5. - Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- 7. - Standard required to convict a criminal defendant of a crime. The prosecution must prove the guilt so that there is no reasonable doubt to the jury that the defendant is guilty.
- 9. - Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
- 12. - Trial without a jury in which a judge decides the facts. In a jury trial, the jury decides the facts. Defendants will occasionally waive the right to a jury trial and choose to have a bench trial.
- 15. - A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it. Affidavits must be notarized or administered by an officer of the court with such authority.
- 17. - A person called upon by either side in a lawsuit to give testimony before the court or jury.
- 18. - An arrest warrant is a written order directing the arrest of a party. A search warrant orders that a specific location be searched for items, which if found, can be used in court as evidence. Search warrants require probable cause in order to be issued.
Down
- 1. - An amount of suspicion leading one to believe certain facts are probably true. The Fourth Amendment requires probable cause for the issuance of an arrest or search warrant.
- 2. evidence - Evidence which tends to show the defendant’s innocence
- 3. - Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
- 4. - Judgment that a criminal defendant has not been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
- 6. - A written account of all the acts and proceedings in a lawsuit.
- 8. - A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
- 10. - Judgment by appellate courts where the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as decided in the lower court.
- 11. - Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
- 13. - Answer questions in court.
- 14. - Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
- 16. plea - A defendant’s plea that allows him to assert his innocence but allows the court to sentence the defendant without conducting a trial. Essentially, the defendant is admitting that the evidence is sufficient to show guilt. Such a plea is often made for purposes of negotiating a deal with the prosecutor for lesser charges or a sentence.