What is a criminal case?
A criminal case begins when a person is arrested, and charges are filed through the District Attorney or by an agency such as Tehama County Sheriff’s Department, Red Bluff Police Department, or Corning Police Department. In all criminal cases, the defendant (person accused of a crime) is presumed to be innocent. That means he or she may not be convicted of a crime unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
A criminal case is started when someone is accused of committing one or more crimes. The government, which is represented by the prosecuting attorney, starts a criminal case by filing a complaint against the individual, who is called the defendant. If the court finds the defendant guilty of a criminal offense, the defendant may have to pay a fine, court costs, and/or spend time in jail or prison. There are two levels of criminal cases, misdemeanors and felonies. Both are initially filed with the district court, but, in some cases, may be transferred to the circuit court for trial. Misdemeanor cases such as, vandalism, shoplifting, trespassing, prostitution, and a first or second drunk driving offense are usually handled by the district court closest to where the crime occurred. If convicted of a misdemeanor, you may be sentenced to spend up to one year in jail. If you are accused of committing a felony crime, a preliminary examination will be conducted by the district court in the coun
Information Page What is a Criminal Case? A criminal case is started when someone is accused of committing one or more crimes. The government, which is represented by the prosecuting attorney, starts a criminal case by filing a complaint against the individual, who is called the defendant. If the court finds the defendant guilty of a criminal offense, the defendant may have to pay a fine, court costs, and/or spend time in jail or prison. Criminal cases are initially filed with the district court, but in some cases, may be transferred to the circuit court for trial. The two levels of crimes are misdemeanors and felonies. Misdemeanor cases are usually handled by the district court located closest to where the crime occurred. If convicted of a misdemeanor, you may be sentenced to spend up to one year in jail. Vandalism, shop lifting, trespassing, prostitution, and a first or second drunk driving offense, are examples of misdemeanor crimes. If you are accused of committing a felony crime,
A criminal case is one in which the local, State, or Federal Government begins an action to court in the name of its citizens. The plaintiff is the government acting on behalf of the people. The accused, known as the defendant, is charged with a crime against the laws regulating conduct, such as murder, rape, assault, or robbery. In addition, less serious conduct such as driving without a license or theft may also violate the criminal laws. The prosecutor or a grand jury decides whether to initiate criminal proceedings, that is, to charge the defendant with violating a law. In a criminal case, a person is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty; the prosecution must prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. This does not mean beyond all possible doubt, but it does mean the court or jury must have an abiding conviction to a moral certainty of the truth of the charge. This is a much heavier burden of proof than there is in a civil case. The accused person cannot be forced to testify
Criminal cases range from relatively minor offenses such as traffic infractions to serious ones like robbery and murder. The state makes the charge against someone accused of committing a crime because a crime is considered an act against society. The prosecuting attorney presents the charge against the accused person (defendant) on behalf of the state (plaintiff), and must prove to the judge or jury that the defendant is guilty. In all criminal cases, the defendant is presumed to be innocent, and may not be convicted, unless proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. A criminal case begins when a prosecutor files formal charges, a person is arrested, or a grand jury issues an indictment. If a defendant–the person accused of a crime–is in custody, he or she has the right to an arraignment, usually held in a municipal or justice court, within 48 hours of being arrested. At the hearing, the judge will officially tell defendants about their constitutional rights and explain the charges ag
