Well after arraignment, a pretrial conference (sometimes known as a “PTC”) is the next scheduled court appearance in a criminal case. A plea-bargaining conference (PTC) is often an informal discussion between the prosecution and the defendant, or even between the prosecutor as well as the defendant’s defense lawyer if the defendant is represented by counsel. This informal gathering is held outside of the courtroom on a regular basis. Occasionally, in courts, the pretrial conference may be held in the courtroom, which restricts the amount of time that may be spent discussing the case between both the prosecutor as well as the Defendant/defense counsel. Prior to the PTC, it was prudent to maintain some kind of communication only with prosecutors in certain situations.
Pretrial conferences are essential discussions held between both the judge and the council before the start of a trial. Major issues pertaining to the future trial might be discussed and resolved during these discussions. During a pretrial conference, an experienced attorney will be using the opportunity to acquire a favorable position heading into the trial as well as to predict how a judge will most likely manage the trial. You will require the assistance of an experienced Criminal Defense Attorney.
A Pretrial Hearing Is Held to Determine If a Case Should Proceed to Trial
As explained previously, the aim of a pretrial hearing is to handle any trivial concerns that may arise first before the court case actually begins in order to allow the trial itself to run more efficiently during the course of the trial. If the matter is still required to proceed to trial just after the pretrial hearing, the parties are permitted to share information that will assist them in the preparation of the trial. Some disputes can be resolved by a pretrial hearing, saving the parties the time and money of going through a trial in their entirety. Furthermore, pre-trial hearings assist the judge in gaining a thorough understanding of the problems and parties involved in the case and also establishing their authority.
A pretrial hearing might result in a variety of outcomes. First and foremost, the judge may establish certain fundamental principles for how the case will be handled, as well as a timeline for the trial and every other pre-trial concern that may arise. Second, the parties may disagree on what evidence should be or shouldn’t be used in the trial, and it’s about whether or not certain witnesses must be called to testify at the trial, among other things. It is also possible for the parties to ask for a change of venue.
In a Pre-Trial Conference, motions are made
Throughout pre-trial conferences involving criminal proceedings, in addition to considering a plea bargain, motions may be filed to dismiss the case. Moves to compel depositions, motions to suppress, and motions to dismiss evidence based on the manner in which it was collected are all examples of motions to suppress evidence. When the police perform searches, seizures, or interrogations, they must adhere to the Constitutional protections afforded to them.
For instance, if the police did not even have reasonable grounds to search your house, yet cocaine was discovered in your home, it may be acceptable to submit a motion to dismiss the evidence of drug usage in your home, for instance. A move to suppress important evidence can make the difference between winning and losing a case.
