New Jersey Criminal Lawyers Blog
This month, the final installment of our three-part series on The Criminal Process explores The Trial, The Verdict, Sentencing, and The Appeal.
The Trial
Our laws entitle anyone accused of a crime to the right to a fair and speedy trial by a jury of their peers. This jury is selected randomly from a pool of potential jurors compiled through voter registration records. Selection is made through a process known as voir dire, during which the court, defense, and prosecuting counsel question each potential juror to determine whether they can be fair and impartial. Attorneys have the right to excuse or move to challenge potential jurors until a panel of at least 12, plus alternates, is chosen. The goal is to choose a jury that represents an accurate cross-section of the community, including people from a variety of different backgrounds.