Pretrials | Federal Criminal Cases | Federal Criminal Law Center

What is Exculpatory Evidence and Why Does it Matter to Your Post-Conviction Appeal?

On September 14, 2021

In criminal law, exculpatory evidence is some fact, testimony or document that, if used at a criminal trial, might help prove that the accused was not guilty of the charges. Exculpatory evidence includes anything that might directly show the innocence of the accused or that might show an excuse, justification, or defense to the charges. […]

How to Prepare for Your Pretrial Hearing

On July 10, 2019
criminal defense attorney, pretrial, pretrial services

A pretrial hearing refers to a meeting between parties in a case that occurs before a trial. In criminal cases, these parties are often the prosecution, the person being charged with the criminal offense, that individual’s lawyer, and a judge. During a criminal trial, a pretrial hearing helps to resolve a number of obstacles including […]

What Does Pre-Trial Release Mean?

On April 1, 2019
Bail, Federal Criminal Defense, pre-trial release

Similar to state court judges, federal magistrate judges are responsible for deciding at an initial appearance whether an individual who is charged with a crime will remain in custody or is capable of leaving on a bond. Because pre-trial release requirements can be particularly strict, to navigate these matters, it is often critical to obtain […]

What Happens if You Plead Not Guilty?

On March 16, 2019
Criminal Defense Overview, Federal Plea And Sentencing, not guilty

What to Consider When You Plead Not Guilty When a person decides to plead not guilty, he or she is informing the prosecution that a case will proceed to trial and involve much more complex decisions. Even after choosing to plead not guilty, it is common to feel uncertain about what will occur in your […]

Pretrial Services That are Crucial for Your Case

On February 1, 2019
criminal defense attorneys, Federal Criminal Cases, pretrial, pretrial services

While some people are not familiar with them, pretrial service programs refer to procedures in the United States used to prepare cases for court trial. The state of Georgia, like many other states, offers pretrial service programs at a county level. The United States federal courts also operate pretrial services in each one of the […]

What Does Pretrial Mean?

On October 23, 2018
Federal Criminal Defense, pretrial

What Happens During Pretrial? While many people are familiar with the trial process, few people know what exactly occurs during the pre-trial period. In reality, this phase of a criminal case is an extremely important role. In many cases, pre-trials have a significant influence on what ends up happening during the trial. For this reason, […]

Georgia Criminal Law News April 2017

On February 6, 2018

Georgia Criminal Law News April 2017 PRE & POST CONVICTION LAW PUBLICATION RECENT VICTORY! STATE v. GILREATH, April 2017. Superior Court, Forsyth County. Mr. Gilreath was sentenced to life in prison for murder. This case was won on appeal related to the court not allowing a witness to testify to all the information that was available […]

Supreme Court Poised to Make Decisions About Structural Error Cases

On November 24, 2017
ineffective counsel, structural error, U.S. Supreme Court

Federal law holds that to be successful, a person arguing an appeal on the basis of ineffective assistance of counsel must show that substandard service negatively affected the trial’s outcome. Another flaw in trials, called a “structural error,” will result in a defendant being granted a new trial even if the error did not result […]

What to do if You Have a Warrant Out for Your Arrest

On October 23, 2017
Arrest Warrant, Criminal Charges, Criminal Defense, Pre-Trial Detention

If you recently discovered that there is a warrant out for your arrest, there might already be an ongoing criminal investigation and you might have even missed a court date. Very few courts are lenient on individuals who discover that they have an arrest warrant and fail to respond. While not responding to the arrest […]

Successful Decatur Pretrial Detention Release can Set the Tone for the Rest of the Federal Case

On April 25, 2017
criminal defense attorneys, Pre-Trial Detention, Pre-trial Proceedings, pretrial release

In June of 2016, lawyers prepared for a trial for several men charged in the fatal 2014 shooting at Macon’s Wings Cafe, according to The Telegraph. The lawyers hashed through pretrial issues during the hearing at the Bibb County courthouse. The crime in question, according to authorities, involved members of the Blacc Team and Gangster Disciples […]