Stages of a Criminal Case…

Arraignment

The Law Offices of Anthony Arzili has handled nearly a thousand arraignments, and he brings that experience and knowledge to your case.

An Arraignment is usually the first court appearance on a case. At the arraignment, the defendant is advised of his charges and enters a plea.

Choosing the right attorney is vital before your arraignment. At the arraignment, decisions are made as to the direction of your case that can never be reversed.

Here are some examples of what Attorney Anthony Arzili does at an arraignment.

O.R. Release or Bail Reduction hearings are customarily conducted at the arraignment.
At the arraignment, the Judge decides if the defendant should be released O.R. or his bail reduced.
The Law Offices of Anthony Arzili has an excellent record in making O.R. and Bail Reduction motions.

The arraignment is the first appearance where the Defense receives “Discovery”. Discovery is a collection of police reports, evidence, and/or pictures regarding the charges.

The Law offices of Attorney Anthony Arzili forces the prosecution to turn over all “discovery” and requests additional discovery as he investigates the case further.

Waiting until after your arraignment to hire the Law Offices of Anthony Arzili may be too late.

Pretrial or EDP hearings

The next step in a criminal case after an arraignment is the pretrial. In Felony cases, this is also called an EDP or Pre-Plea hearing.

Pretrials are a chance for the defense to request additional evidence or reports. Pretrials are also the place where plea-bargaining takes place.

The Law Offices of Anthony Arzili prepares thoroughly for pretrials and uses them to get the best results for his clients.

Before attending a Pretrial, Attorney Anthony Arzili meticulously analyzes the police reports and the evidence against you. At the pretrial negotiations, Attorney Anthony Arzili attacks the prosecutions weak points and puts forth a strong defense.

Attorney Anthony Arzili prides himself on knowing the decision makers in each court. An attorney that has the knowledge and contacts at your court can make the difference between jail and freedom.

It is not uncommon for a case to have more than one pretrial. Attorney Anthony Arzili uses multiple pretrials to negotiate the best result for his clients.

Attorney Anthony Arzili has perfected his negotiation skills on over a thousand different cases and brings those skills to your case.

Preliminary Hearings

Preliminary hearings only take place in felony cases. The purpose of this hearing is to see if the prosecution has sufficient evidence to transfer the case to trial court.

Attorney Anthony Arzili has conducted numerous preliminary hearings.

Attorney Anthony Arzili uses preliminary hearings to do the following:

Cross-examine the prosecution witnesses and attack their testimony

Gauge the strength or weakness of the prosecution case.

Move to dismiss the case for Illegal Search/Seizure or lack of evidence.

Reduce the charges from Felony to a Misdemeanor via 17(b)

Jury Trials

A Jury Trial is a hearing where the prosecution and the defense present evidence to a jury of 12 persons from the community. The Jury then decides whether the prosecution proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Attorney Anthony Arzili has an excellent track record at Jury Trials.
Most attorneys shy away from the “fight” of going to trial, but Attorney Anthony Arzili welcomes the battle and for good reason, he fights to win.

The key to success at trial depends on how well your attorney masters the different stages of a trial.

Jury selection.
Selecting a jury is part experience and part gut instinct. Voir Dire is the process by which attorneys question prospective witnesses. Attorney Anthony Arzili has conducted many effective voir dires that have ultimately resulted in not guilty verdicts. Although many will agree that selecting a jury is as inexact of a science in criminal law, Attorney Anthony Arzili believes the biggest disservice you can do your client is to overlook this very important step.

Cross-examination
Trials are won and lost at cross-examinations. “Cross” as they are often called involves the questioning of the witnesses against you by your attorney.
Real-life Cross examinations are usually not similar to the dramatics that you see on TV shows. Real-life cross examinations involve thorough preparation, tactical probing of the facts, and finally confronting or catching the witness in lies or discrepancies.
Attorney Anthony Arzili’s cross-examination skills are a product of many courtroom battles.

Presentation of a Defense

Although the prosecution has the burden of proof in a criminal case, the defendant has the constitutional right to present a defense to the charges.
A defense can consist of many different type of evidence:

a) Witnesses that testify favorably for the defense (Percipient & Character witnesses)
b) Testimony of the defendant
c) Cross-examination of prosecution witnesses
d) Physical evidence (pictures, objects, etc.
e) Expert testimony (eyewitness I.D. expert, DUI expert, Gang expert, etc)

Attorney Anthony Arzili’s outstanding Jury Trial Record is a reflection of his emphasis on preparation and strategy.

Attorney Anthony Arzili puts together a “Defense Team” of Investigators, Experts, and witnesses that gives him the advantage needed to win a jury trial.