What will happen at a contested hearing or trial?

• A hearing or trial is when the court puts aside time to listen to the evidence and decide whether you are guilty and should be convicted of the offence charged.
  • Your case may be listed for a day or more depending how many people need to give evidence.
  • In criminal cases most of the evidence is given orally. Before the hearing the police must provide you with written statements from each witness so that you know what each witness is going to say.
  • You should be given a chance to read all the statements from all the witnesses in your case so you can give your lawyer instructions.
  • At the hearing both parties are given a chance to cross-examine the witnesses. This means each party can ask the witness questions about what they have said in their statements
• The court listens to and records all the evidence in the case and the lawyer’s arguments. Once this is done the magistrate, judge or jury decides if you are guilty of the offence charged. If you are found guilty you will be convicted and sentenced by the court.