New clients are consistently asking the attorneys and staff at the Marc Lopez Law Firm about their next pre-trial conference. When will it be? What’s going to happen? What do I need to be prepared for? For a person who’s never been charged with a crime before, these are perfectly natural questions.
Basically, a pre-trial conference is a check-in. It’s a chance for the defense attorney and prosecutor to meet, discuss the case, and determine if there are any outstanding issues. If there are any questions about witnesses or particular pieces of evidence, a pre-trial is a chance to sort them out. The attorneys then report back to the judge to affirm that everyone’s on the same page.
Judges in criminal cases don’t want to be bothered with any more details than the have to be. For example, in Marion County, a defendant’s presence at a pre-trial conference can be affirmed by signing a piece of paper. The pre-trial mainly exists so the attorneys can assure the judge that the case is moving forward.
An added benefit to the defendant is that it gives their attorney some face time with the prosecutor, which is a great opportunity to negotiate. Sometimes things can be worked out with a phone call or an email, but there’s still nothing like a face-to-face meeting.
If you have any questions about an upcoming pre-trial conference—what to expect, what to wear, whatever—call the Marc Lopez Law Firm at 317-632-3642 and remember—always plead the 5th!
