Specific Crimes
When you are facing criminal charges, knowledge is power. You need
to know how the criminal process works and what the prosecution
must prove to get a guilty verdict. In this section, we provide
you with general information regarding some of the crimes our office
handles and outline the basic jury instructions that are actually
used in California criminal courts.
For the prosecution to establish guilt in a criminal case, they
must prove each “element,” or part of the crime, to a jury beyond
a reasonable doubt. They must also successfully counter any applicable
legal defenses. Before the jury begins its deliberations, the judge
will provide them with “jury instructions” regarding the factual
questions they must answer and the legal rules they must apply.
The particular jury instructions used will depend on the specific
crime charged, the facts and circumstances of the case, and the
prosecution’s theory of the case. In this section, we provide you
with the basic jury instructions used for certain crimes as well
as other general information on the most common issues presented
in such cases. The jury instructions summarized here were selected
from the legal text titled “California Criminal Jury Instructions,”
published by the Judicial Counsel of California (2006-2007 Edition)
- the most widely used jury instructions in California criminal
courts today. (Cited as CALCRIM) We will also provide citations
to the California Penal Code or other statutes for your reference.
If you or someone you know has been charged with any crime in the
State of California, call The Scranton Law Firm today and speak
with one of our experienced criminal defense attorneys. Consultations
are always free!
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