In Virginia, criminal juries do more than decide guilt or innocence. If a jury finds your client guilty, the jury will also set the sentence via a bifurcated trial. These bifurcated jury trials can lead to unexpected results – with potentially long sentences - and it is critical to prepare your case with potential sentencing in mind. With the goals of beating the offer and protecting the client, attorneys in Virginia must carefully balance the advantages of juries against the serious risks of jury sentencing.
In this program, former public defender and experienced trial attorney Rachel Robinson will guide you through what factors you and your client must weigh when deciding to take a plea or pursue a bench or jury trial. The course will cover best practices in communicating the risks and possible outcomes to your client, and how to create, prepare and execute a winning trial strategy. The program will also discuss practical tips for voir dire, pre-trial and trial motions, how to preserve your objections and recent legislative changes that affect how cases are tried in front of juries.
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