Arraignment – The legal proceeding when a defendant is formally charged with a crime and given a trial date. Arraignments are held approximately two weeks after the preliminary hearing.
Felony - The most serious grade of crime, generally having a maximum penalty of imprisonment for more than five years.
Held for Court – The judge’s decision, made at a preliminary hearing, determining that there is enough evidence to hold the defendant for trial in Common Pleas Court.
Misdemeanor – A crime that generally has a maximum penalty of imprisonment of less than five years. If the defendant is charged with a misdemeanor he or she will be tried in Municipal Court.
Preliminary Hearing – A hearing before a judge to determine whether there is enough evidence to bring the case to trial.
Sentencing – After a defendant is found guilty, he or she receives the punishment associated with their crime from a judge.
Subpoena – An order directing a victim of a crime or a witness to a crime to appear at a specific time in court. Subpoenas can arrive by mail or in person. Please remember to bring your subpoena with you when you arrive in court.
Testimony – Evidence given under oath in response to questions asked by attorneys during formal proceedings
Trial – The legal proceeding when an Assistant District Attorney presents the facts of a case to the judge and/or the jury. At the trial’s conclusion, the judge and/or jury decides whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty, based on the presented evidence.