If You Do Not Accept Any Offer From The Prosecutor Your Court Date Will Be Scheduled 2 To 3 Weeks Following The Final Pretrial

Trials will generally be scheduled within two to three weeks following the final pretrial date. That gives us an opportunity to get our witnesses to court. These trials are scheduled for the end of the regular court sessions or set for a “special session.” The special session is held on a date that is not for the regular court session.

Trials May Continue for Two or More Hearing Dates

And usually these trials are concluded during one or two hearing dates. Generally, they do last about two hearing dates. Sometimes they go longer, which requires expert witnesses to be brought back a number of times.

The Defense Attorney Has the Opportunity to Cross Examine Any Witnesses Called by the Prosecution

At trial, the prosecution puts on their witnesses, who generally are police officers. Sometimes, the State calls an expert witness who may have performed the lab testing for blood samples or urine samples. Other times, the State calls a drug recognition expert that the state plans to present for the case. Then it’s the defense attorney’s opportunity to cross examine those witnesses.

The Defense Witnesses Testify after the Prosecution’s Witnesses

Once the state concludes its case, then the defense gets to put on witnesses, including the defendant. Any other type of evidence can be entered into the record and the prosecutor then has the opportunity to cross examine defense witnesses. At the conclusion of the trial, the judge makes a determination of guilt or innocence on the charges. And then a sentence will be imposed if the person is found guilty of the traffic offense – the DWI or refusal.