After Jury Selection, How Does a Trial Proceed?
• Opening Statement: At the beginning of the trial, the Assistant District Attorney makes an opening statement. A defense attorney may make an opening statement, but is not required to do so. In an opening, the attorney explains what he or she is going to prove at trial. • Direct Case: The direct case brought by the District Attorney’s Office involves the calling of witnesses and the introduction of physical objects or records into evidence. The ADA asks questions of each witness. The defense attorney then asks questions on cross-examination. The ADA may ask clarifying questions on redirect. This process continues until all of the prosecution’s witnesses on the direct case have testified. At the end of the direct case the defendant may move to dismiss certain charges on the theory that the trial evidence is insufficient to establish the crime(s) charged. • Defense Case: The defense case may involve many witnesses, including the defendant, or there may be no witnesses at all. The defend
