In the American criminal justice system, you have the right to a jury trial. If your case ends up heading to trial, then utilizing a jury can be beneficial. After all, you only have to convince one of them that there isn’t enough evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in order to escape conviction. But it’s worth noting that you do have another option for how to litigate your case: a bench trial.
What’s a bench trial?
A bench trial is where a case is heard and decided by the presiding judge. They will assess the evidence and provide it the amount of weight they deem appropriate while still ruling on evidentiary objections. They, and they alone, are the decider in your case.
Are there benefits to a bench trial?
There can be depending on the facts of your case, the judge in question and your priorities. A bench trail is often concluded faster than a jury trial if for no other reason than you can cut out the jury selection process. A judge may also be better positioned to analyze complex evidence and nuanced legal issues, which could be advantageous for you. Also, if you do your research, you may identify a pattern in how a particular judge rules, which could provide you with a sense of consistency upon which you may want to rely when choosing a bench trial.
Make an informed decision about how you want your criminal case to be heard
While there are advantages to a bench trial, there can also be risks. These can include a judge’s biases that may not play in your favor and the removal of emotions out of the deliberation process. So, before making important criminal defense decisions, such as which type of trial you want, you should carefully analyze your options with full consideration of the risks and potential rewards of each of them. Hopefully then you can craft a persuasive criminal defense strategy that best positions you for the successful outcome that you want.
