Criminal Law Legal Terms
Criminal law and procedure definitions including charges, defenses, sentencing, and court proceedings in criminal cases.
8 terms in this category
Arraignment
The first court appearance where a criminal defendant is formally charged and enters a plea of guilty, not guilty, or no contest.
Bail
Money or property given to the court as a guarantee that the defendant will appear for future court dates. If the defendant appears, bail is returned; if not, it is forfeited.
DUI/DWI
Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) is the crime of operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Expungement
The legal process of sealing or destroying criminal records so they are not accessible to the general public or appear on background checks.
Felony
A serious crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year, such as murder, rape, robbery, or drug trafficking.
Misdemeanor
A less serious crime punishable by up to one year in county jail, fines, probation, or community service.
Plea Bargain
An agreement between the prosecutor and defendant where the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge or receives a reduced sentence in exchange for avoiding trial.
Probation
A court-ordered period of supervision in the community instead of imprisonment, subject to conditions like regular check-ins, drug testing, and avoiding new crimes.
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