Criminology Term: Pre-trial Conference
A pre-trial conference, a legal powwow that transpires before a criminal trial, is a forum where the key players come together to explore the case and endeavor to resolve it without going through a lengthy and costly trial.
During this meeting of the minds, the attorneys for the prosecution and defense can swap evidence, dissect the strengths and weaknesses of their arguments, and bargain for a plea agreement.
The pre-trial conference is also the perfect stage to discuss pre-trial motions, such as a motion to squash or reject evidence, or a motion to dismiss the case entirely.
The presiding judge may also leverage this conference to set a timeline for the submission of evidence, schedule upcoming court dates, and establish deadlines for other materials that are pertinent to the case.
In a nutshell, the pre-trial conference is the ultimate opportunity to streamline the trial process and resolve as many issues as possible before the trial officially starts. This can conserve valuable time and resources and may lead to an accelerated resolution of the case.
Nonetheless, if the parties fail to reach a settlement, the case will move forward as planned and the trial will take place in due course.
