Criminal Law and Procedure

An arraignment is an early court appearance where charges are presented and the defendant is asked to enter a plea.

Bail is the mechanism courts use to decide whether a defendant may remain out of custody while a criminal case is pending and on what conditions.

A conviction is the formal finding that a defendant is guilty of a criminal offense.

A criminal charge is the formal accusation that a person committed a crime.

Core criminal-law vocabulary covering charges, pretrial procedure, constitutional safeguards, trial standards, and common prosecution terms.

Double jeopardy is the constitutional protection against being prosecuted or punished more than once in certain ways for the same offense.

The exclusionary rule is the principle that some evidence obtained in violation of constitutional protections may be kept out of court.

A felony is a more serious category of crime that usually carries heavier penalties and more formal criminal procedure consequences than a misdemeanor.

A grand jury is a body that evaluates whether sufficient grounds exist to bring certain criminal charges.

An indictment is a formal criminal charge, often issued after grand jury review, accusing a person of a serious offense.

Miranda rights are the warnings police must generally give before custodial interrogation so a suspect understands key constitutional protections.

A misdemeanor is a lower-level criminal offense that usually carries lighter penalties and fewer severe collateral consequences than a felony.

A motion to suppress asks the court to exclude evidence that was obtained or handled in violation of legal rules.

A plea bargain is a negotiated criminal-case resolution in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty or no contest under agreed terms.

The presumption of innocence means a defendant starts a criminal case as legally not proved guilty unless the prosecution meets its burden.

Probable cause is the level of factual justification that usually supports arrests, search warrants, and some criminal charging decisions.

Reasonable doubt is the level of uncertainty that prevents a criminal conviction under the highest standard of proof.

Reasonable suspicion is a lower legal threshold than probable cause and can justify limited investigative police action in some circumstances.

A search warrant is a judicial authorization allowing law enforcement to search a place, person, or item for evidence based on probable cause.

Self-incrimination refers to being compelled to provide testimony or statements that could help establish one's own criminal liability.

Sentencing is the stage of a criminal case in which the court determines the punishment or other consequences after conviction.