Introduction
The use of juries in trials remains a contentious subject, considering there are individuals who think it is bizarre to rely on twelve laypersons to make legal decisions. Jury trials are a fundamental pillar of criminal law since it is a right of every person facing serious charges in the constitution. The interests, which underlie the trial by jury, include the need to prevent tyranny (O’Malley, 2018). For instance, tyranny exists when an individual holds absolute power, and the jury ensures members of the public are given the ability to make judicial decisions. Secondly, the jury’s trial ensures that the public has a voice in the government’s judicial branch, ensuring they can keep government activities and influence in the judicial system in check (O’Malley, 2018). The citizens’ participation in the juries allows them to understand the justice system and govern.
Stages of Criminal Trials
In the criminal trial, the jury is expected to examine the presented evidence and establish whether “beyond a reasonable doubt” the defendant committed the crime. The criminal trial stages include the selection of a jury, the making of opening statements, presenting witness testimonies, cross-examination, closing arguments, jury deliberation, and delivering the verdict. The jury’s choosing is the first step in a criminal case when a judge does not solely hear the case. The judge and respective attorneys have to select jurors from a given pool (Find Law Thomson, 2009). The completion of the step opens the room for defendant and appellant attorneys to present their opening statements on the case, with the prosecutors leading the exercise.
The witnesses have to present their evidence to the court for the jury to establish the case’s facts. For instance, witnesses have to lay their claims to the court, with the opposing side given a chance to question the other party’s views (Find Law Thomson, 2009). The cross-examination allows the defendant and prosecution attorneys to challenge the credibility of the witnesses’ evidence and testimonies. The closing arguments offer the prosecutor and the defendant’s attorney a chance to recap their case and evidence. The jury instruction and deliberation stage allows the jurors to deliberate whether the defendant is guilty of the crimes charged against them (Find Law Thomson, 2009). Upon successful deliberation, the jurors have to give their verdict to the judge who reads it out in the court.
Plea Bargain
The use of a plea bargain ensures the prosecution and the accused skip the lengthy criminal trial process, helping save time and financial resources. The plea bargain is an agreement struck in a criminal case between the prosecution and the defendant, enabling the latter to plead guilty to reduced charges or a lighter sentence (Khogali et al., 2018). A plea bargain is a crucial component of the criminal law proceeding, considering it can help ensure courts do not become overloaded with cases.
For example, the involved parties in a criminal proceeding can use the plea bargain to reduce their workload and ensure the courts are not strained. In the event every criminal case went to trial, the government would have to increase its funding to the judiciary. The resulting situation would see the courts experience a backlog of cases, impeding their delivery of justice and service to the public (Khogali et al., 2018). The courts are meant to ensure they are efficient in delivering justice to the affected, which would be significantly compromised if cases took years to resolve.
References
Find Law Thomson. (2009). Criminal arrest: Stages of criminal case – FindLaw. YouTube. Web.
Khogali, M., Jones, K., & Penrod, S. (2018). Fairness for all? Public perceptions of plea bargaining. Applied Psychology in Criminal Justice, 14(2), 136-153.
O’Malley, K. M. (2018). Trial by jury: Why it works and why it matters. American University Law Review, 68(4), 1095-1109.