Court Process

1. Before you read the passage, talk about these questions.

a) What are some things that happen before a case goes to court?

b) Why might a jury not be able to agree on a verdict?

1. Listen and read this email between an attorney and his colleague. Choose the correct answers.

1. What is the email about?

A a recent case which has been tried

B the proceedings leading up to a trial

C a new client who has been sentenced

D a court case that ended in a mistrial

2. Which of the following has not yet happened?

A an arraignment

B a request for discovery

C a pre-trial hearing

D a plea bargain

3. What can you infer about the defendant?

A He will be charged with a crime.

B He was acquitted in a previous trial.

C He successfully suppressed evidence before.

D He was offered a lesser sentence to avoid a trial.

Fiona,

I’m writing to update you on the Trindle case. At the arraign-

ment last month, the defendant was charged.

However, he rejected plea bargain. So he will be sentenced or

acquitted at the trial.

Since then, his lawyer has requested discovery. So there will

probably be a pre-trial hearing where the defendant’s lawyer

tries to suppress evidence. You will handle the discovery process and

pre-trial hearing. I ask you to make sure all of the evidence is accep-

ted. I don’t want to hung jury and mistrial because evidence isn’t

shown.

I know we can count on you.

David Wallace, Assistant Prosecutor, City of Los Angeles