Helpful Terms

Appeal: a request for a higher court to review and reverse the decision of the trial court.

Arrest: placing a person into custody so that a person may be held to answer for an offense.

Arrest Warrant: a notice to law enforcement that an individual is wanted and should be located and arrested.

Bail: an amount of money to be posted by a Defendant to be released from jail while the criminal case is pending. Its purpose is to make sure the Defendant is present at all required court proceedings.

Bail Bondsman: a person who receives a nonrefundable fee, usually 10% of the bail amount, to pay a bail on the Defendant’s behalf.

Bench Warrant: a warrant for an individual’s arrest issued by a judge because the Defendant failed to show up for a scheduled court appearance.

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: the amount of belief a jury is required to have in order to find a defendant guilty of a crime.

Burden of Proof: the obligation carried by the prosecutor to prove a Defendant guilty in a criminal case. The Defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty by the jury.

Charge: an accusation that an individual has violated a specific law.

Continuance: a granting of a postponement of a hearing or trial with a new date.

Defendant: a person charged with a crime.

Expert Witness: a witness with special knowledge about the subject about which the witness is to testify.

Felony: a crime punishable by more than a year of incarceration. Minn. Stat. §609.02, subd. 2.

Gross Misdemeanor: a crime punishable by imprisonment for one year, a fine up to $3,000 or both. Minn. Stat. §609.03, subd. 2.

Misdemeanor: a crime punishable by not more than 90 days of incarceration or not more than a $1,000 fine or both. Minn. Stat. §609.02, subd. 3.

Plea Bargain: a mutually satisfactory agreement worked out between the defense and the prosecution whereby the case is disposed of subject to the court’s approval.

Probation: a sentence of supervision in the community which sometimes includes jail time and is subject to specific conditions. If the conditions are not met, the probation can be revoked.

Prosecutor: a person who works for the State to prosecute those charged with a crime.

Search Warrant: a written order signed by a judge authorizing the police to search and hold property.

Sentence: a punishment imposed at the end of a criminal case.