Orange County District Attorney

Fundamentals of a Jury Trial

Home Page | Administration | Media Relations | Resources | Crime Victim's Resource Guide |  Frequently Asked Questions | Employment | Bad Check Program

• Jury Selection
  
   Residents of Orange County are randomly selected for jury service, and are summoned to the Court as potential jurors; a blind draw selects twelve people from that group; the Judge, prosecutor and defense attorney question the jurors about their backgrounds and beliefs; the attorneys are permitted a limited number of "peremptory" challenges to various jurors (or an unlimited number of challenges for good cause); after twelve acceptable jurors remain, the Judge administers an oath to the jury and reads basic instructions about the trial process, etc.
   

• Prosecutor gives an opening statement to outline his case and evidence to the jury

• Defense may give a similar opening statement, or wait until later in the trial

• Prosecutor calls his witnesses, which the defense may cross examine

• Prosecutor rests

• Defense may call witnesses, if it wants, and the prosecutor may cross-examine them

• Defense rests

• Prosecutor may present "rebuttal" witnesses/evidence to challenge evidence presented by the defendant

• Prosecutor rests

• Prosecutor presents a closing argument to the jury

• Defense presents a closing argument to the jury

• Prosecutor may present a rebuttal argument to the jury to respond to the defense closing argument

• The judge gives the jury detailed legal instructions about the charged crimes, the deliberation process, etc.

• Jury deliberates and returns a verdict.