What happens after a defendant is convicted after a guilty plea or a trial?
Once convicted, the defendant is required to be sentenced. Sentencing the defendant is the responsibility of the judge. A judge has many alternatives in determining a just and proper sentence. The judge will ask the prosecutor and the defendant’s attorney for recommendations, but the judge decides the final sentence. In serious cases, the judge will order Court Services to prepare a report known as a pre-sentence investigation report. This report is used to provide background information about the defendant. The state’s attorney’s office has a person called the victim-witness coordinator. This person’s job is to notify victims and witnesses about the progress of a case in which they are involved. The victim-witness coordinator is available to answer questions and to assist victims and witnesses in understanding the many phases of a criminal case. Some frequent questions and their corresponding answers follow.
