A criminal trial is the official judicial action flowing from an arrest when a case is not settled by plea or dropped by the prosecution. Many cases are in fact settled by plea, however. If so, the defendant generally agrees to plead guilty or no-contest to a charge in exchange for a reduced sentence. When a case goes is not initially settled by plea, a plea is still possible right up to the end of the case. However, the plea agreements offered at late stages in the criminal trial process are often not as amicable to the defendant.

For assistance with your case, click here to find Criminal Trial Attorneys near you or find an attorney in a different state.