Criminal Law
| SENTENCING HEARINGS |
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| When a defendant is accused of a criminal offense and the defendant pleads not guilty to the offense, the defendant's trial may involve a two-stage process, depending upon whether the defendant is tried by a jury or a trial judge. The two-stage process involves the guilt or innocence stage of the trial and the punishment stage of the trial. More... |
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| Postconviction Procedures |
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| After a defendant is convicted of a crime, he may decide to file a postconviction motion or appeal his conviction. The types of postconviction motions the defendant may file differ from state to state. The defendant may file several different motions after a judgment has been entered against him. More... |
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| Self-Representation |
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| A criminal defendant has a right to represent herself during criminal proceedings. Self-representation is a right afforded in both state criminal proceedings and federal criminal proceedings. The defendant has a right to represent herself and that right is implied within the purview of the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Self-representation is also referred to as pro se defense. More... |
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| VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER |
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| A person commits the offense of voluntary manslaughter when he or she commits murder under the immediate influence of sudden passion that arises from an adequate cause. Sudden passion is also referred to as "heat of passion." More... |
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| Hybrid Representation and the Standby Attorney |
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| Hybrid representation is where the defendant serves as co-counsel with an attorney. The defendant does not have a constitutional right to hybrid representation. It is within the trial court's discretion to grant the defendant's request for hybrid representation. More... |
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