Phases of a Criminal Case

Defending Clients in Johnson County

Most people aren't prepared for the realities of facing a criminal charge. The information below can help people charged with a crime to understand the basic outline of a criminal case. While this page is dedicated to criminal charges in Johnson County, the information is generic enough to be useful for understanding any criminal case in Kansas.

I've spent my career helping clients discreetly defend criminal charges so that they can begin to move forward. If you've been charged with a crime, contact my office today for a free consultation and see how I can help you build a strong defense for your case.

What is an Arraignment Hearing?

An arraignment hearing, is the first appearance hearing governed by K.S.A. 22-3205. Here, several things will happen. The judge will inform each defendant of the charges he or she is facing by handing them a copy of the complaint and offering to read it aloud. The judge will ask the defendant to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty on those charges. And, the judge will set the bond in the case by determining the type of bond, the amount of the bond, and the conditions of bond.

What is a scheduling conference in criminal court? 

A scheduling conference is a court hearing for the lawyers to present their proposed deadlines for each stage of the criminal case in question. Sometimes, these scheduling conferences can be unnecessary but are a great opportunity for a judge to approve the scheduling order without being in the courtroom. Attorneys will also have an opportunity to argue for more or less time between stages. From there, the case can continue moving forward. 

What is the Purpose of a Scheduling Conference?

Scheduling conferences ensure cases move appropriately through the criminal justice system by requiring the parties to provide the judge with an update on the progress of the case. They will likely make up the majority of the appearances defendants make in court. The time between conferences is used to obtain discovery, negotiate pleas, and determine whether possible defenses to the charges exist.

Speedy trial issues may arise in scheduling conferences. Kansas statutes require cases be promptly brought to trial. As such, the time between scheduling conferences is commonly not counted against the speedy trial clock.

How to File for a Diversion in Kansas

In Johnson County, applications for diversion must be filed within 90 days of the first appearance hearing. A cash or money order fee of $25 or $50 must accompany the application. Once filed, a diversion coordinator will set a diversion conference. Conferences are held in the District Attorney's office. Both the defendant and the defense attorney must attend the conference. Details about the Johnson County diversion program can be found on the Johnson County District Attorney's Office website.

What to Expect During a Pretrial Motion Hearing

Properly researched and argued pretrial motions can greatly influence a criminal case. Motions in Limine and Motions to Suppress Evidence are two of the more commonly filed pretrial motions, although the possibility for pretrial filings are nearly limitless. The hearings themselves are fairly straight forward. The party filing the motion will be required to call experts or others to testify to the Court. The responding party may also call experts or others to testify - depending on the nature of the filing. At the conclusion of the hearing the Judge will have the discretion to issue a ruling either at the hearing or by written order some time later.

What Happens at a Preliminary Hearing?

In Kansas, preliminary hearings are set only in felony cases. For most, the preliminary hearing will be the first substantive hearing in their case - if it is held at all. Preliminary hearings may be waived. In fact, they often are as a result of plea bargaining.

Here, the State will call witnesses and introduce evidence as it would in trial. Defense counsel will also have the opportunity to cross examine witnesses and present evidence.

The judge, not a jury, will decide whether the evidence presented supports a finding of probable cause that the defendant committed the offense charged. If so, the case will be permitted to continue to trial.

What Happens at a Plea Hearing?

After an attorney has negotiated an acceptable plea offer, a defendant may enter a plea of guilty or no contest at a plea hearing. Entering a plea of guilty or no contest will result in a conviction without a trial. Defendants may only enter a plea of guilty if they actually committed the crime alleged. Accordingly, the State will recite its version of the facts to support the conviction. While there may be some errors in the recitation of facts, the recitation only needs to be substantially true to support the plea.

In felony cases, sentencing will be set at a later date so that a PSI and LSI-R can be completed. In misdemeanor cases, sentencing can be done at the time of the plea.

Warning: The district court judge is not a party to the plea bargain. This means that the judge does not have to sentence according to the terms of the plea.

Pretrial Conference

Usually a day or two before a jury or bench trial begins, the court will host a pretrial conference. This is often the attorneys' last chance to make a motion to the court. In jury trials, the attorneys will usually receive a copy of the jury pool for voir dire preparation.

Trial & Sentencing

In Kansas, trials may be to a jury or to the judge in a bench trial. During the trial, the prosecutor will use his or her witnesses and evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime alleged. In response, the defendant will also have an opportunity to tell his or her side of the story. Trials are highly structured to ensure fairness to both parties. The burden of proof is on the State, so the prosecutor will be the first to address the venire panel, give opening statements, present evidence, and give closing argument. Additionally, the prosecutor will be able to respond to defense counsel's closing argument.

In voir dire, the attorneys will question the potential jurors to determine who among them will reach a verdict without bias. Jurors are asked to listen to the evidence and decide the facts of the case. In felony cases, 12 jurors are selected while only 6 are selected in misdemeanor cases. Opening statements permit the prosecutor and defense attorney to give the jury an overview of what they expect the evidence to show. The statements can help the jury to understand what the case is about.

After opening statements, the prosecutor will begin presenting the case by examining witnesses. The prosecutor will likely admit exhibits into evidence such as drugs confiscated from the defendant or weapons and other items taken from the scene of a crime. The defense attorney can cross-examine any witness called by the prosecutor. Once the prosecutor has presented all of the evidence in support of the case, the defense will be able to present its own evidence by calling witnesses. Or, the defense may choose not to present any evidence. Defendants will have the option of testifying or remaining silent during this phase of the trial.

After the parties introduce all of their evidence, the prosecutor and defense attorney will give closing arguments. Closing arguments are the last chance for the attorneys to address the jury before deliberation.

The jury will deliberate after receiving jury instructions from the judge. The content of the instruction are debated in a short instruction conference outside of the presence of the jury. Jury deliberations will last as long as necessary to reach a unanimous verdict. The verdict will be read in open court will all parties present.

After a finding of guilty by plea or by trial, a date for sentencing will be set by the court about 60 days later. Depending on the circumstances, defendants in misdemeanor cases may be sentenced on the same day as the plea or trial. Felony cases require sentencing hearings to be set at a later date so that a PSI and LSI-R can be completed. The documents will be used to determine the level of supervision, if probation is a sentencing option, and will be used to determine the defendant's criminal history score.