Facing a criminal charge is a serious and potentially life-changing situation and as such, one of the most important functions of the San Andreas Judicial Branch is that of the Superior Court of San Andreas. Citizens arrested for any misdemeanor or felony charge may petition the courts to hear their case, in which one of the Judicial Branch’s Judges will review evidence and testimony in both a professional and timely manner, evaluating legal arguments from a neutral and unbiased view so that proper justice may be upheld.
As a citizen of San Andreas, it is your right to have representation by an attorney appointed by the San Andreas Bar Association to assist in the entirety of the criminal case process, and that this representation be provided at no cost to you.
While the Judicial Branch does not accept any cases regarding ONLY citations, any other charge from a general misdemeanor to a serious felony may be brought to the court. It is also important to note that the Judicial Branch does not review the conduct of law enforcement officers; any such issues of conduct must be submitted to that officer’s respective departments Internal Affairs division. It is important to discuss with your attorney whether or not your case would be better suited for an Internal Affairs report versus a criminal trial.
In order to ensure swift justice and ability for all parties to engage in the criminal justice system properly, the criminal court submission times are as follows:
As a citizen of San Andreas, it is your right to have representation by an attorney appointed by the San Andreas Bar Association to assist in the entirety of the criminal case process, and that this representation be provided at no cost to you.
While the Judicial Branch does not accept any cases regarding ONLY citations, any other charge from a general misdemeanor to a serious felony may be brought to the court. It is also important to note that the Judicial Branch does not review the conduct of law enforcement officers; any such issues of conduct must be submitted to that officer’s respective departments Internal Affairs division. It is important to discuss with your attorney whether or not your case would be better suited for an Internal Affairs report versus a criminal trial.
In order to ensure swift justice and ability for all parties to engage in the criminal justice system properly, the criminal court submission times are as follows:
- Standard: 14 days from the date charges are placed
- Extraordinary Circumstances: 30 days from the date charges are placed
- (( Individuals that have not logged onto that character for 30 days or less from the point the charge(s) was placed. ))
- Instances where defendants have managed to escape capture from law enforcement as long as their court filing is within 30 days of the charge(s) being place.
The Judicial Branch has three separate venues through which an individual can seek due process for a recent charge: Bench Trials, Formal Criminal Trials, and Docket Trials. Please make sure to review each option carefully, and with a bar licensed representative in order to fully understand your options.
The main difference between bench trials, and other forms of trials, is that a bench trial does not allow for a further examination of evidence, nor does it set precedence, which increases the speed at which an individual will see a judge.
Due to the complete review of evidence, formal criminal are considered to be the long-form of our court system. The benefit to this is that the defendant can see the full scope of the prosecutions investigation, evidence, and present their own extensive defense in order to prove their innocence. These consist of multiple parts included a motions hearing and public trial.
Bench Trials:
Formal Trials:
Docket Trials:
The main difference between bench trials, and other forms of trials, is that a bench trial does not allow for a further examination of evidence, nor does it set precedence, which increases the speed at which an individual will see a judge.
Due to the complete review of evidence, formal criminal are considered to be the long-form of our court system. The benefit to this is that the defendant can see the full scope of the prosecutions investigation, evidence, and present their own extensive defense in order to prove their innocence. These consist of multiple parts included a motions hearing and public trial.
Bench Trials:
- The simplest form of trial, which sees either arresting Law Enforcement, a legal representative of the arresting department, or the prosecution seeking to apply charges to the record of a defendant. During a bench trial, each party will begin by presenting their case-in-chief. There will be no opening statements and all evidence will be reviewed at the same time.
The judge has the option to question the prosecution or defense based on the facts on the case. Once the judge has exhausted their investigation, each party will deliver their closing statements with the prosecution receiving the final say. Next the judge will be given a chance to deliberate for a small amount of time, then deliver a verdict.
Bench trials, depending on availability, can happen at the time of charging. However it will require the cooperation of the arresting officer, defendant, and judge on the case. If all of these pieces do not align, the defendant will have to settle for the typical criminal case submission.
Formal Trials:
- The more in-depth version of trials that allows for a thorough review of evidence by both parties. The prosecution is represented by the Judicial Branch, where they work with law enforcement and supporting parties to gather expert witnesses, general witness statements, arrest reports, forensics, etc. to prove the guilt of the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt. These are the types of trials typically reserved for defendants that want a full examination of evidence or attorneys that desire to set precedence where the burden of proof for the prosecution requires a close-up look at each exhibit.
These will be accepted on a case by case basis and are not guaranteed. They are divided into 3 parts: the docket, motions hearing, and trial. By default these cases will take longer for both the defense and the prosecution. If the defendant is requesting a formal criminal trial, they must understand they are also accepting a longer trial process.
Docket Trials:
- The final version of trials offered by the Judicial Branch are docket trials. Docket trials allow for the prosecution and defense to fully type out every argument and examination of the evidence. While this is the only written form of trial that the Judicial Branch offers, it is the most paperwork heavy version of a trial that we currently offer. Due to this, docket trials are typically a last resort, used when none of the parties (Judge, prosecution, or defense) are able to schedule a suitable time for trial.
As a Defendant you are encouraged to actively engage and maintain open communication with your attorney. You are responsible for staying informed about the progress of your case, attending necessary meetings, and promptly responding to communications from your attorney. Additionally, once a case is activated, you MUST confirm your intention to proceed within seven days directly to your attorney. Failure to confirm within this time frame will result in the submission of a motion for involuntary dismissal by your attorney. As a defendant you are also REQUIRED to attend trial or face possible fines/charges.
Public Defender:
Private Defense Attorney:
Self-Representation:
Public Defender:
- Public Defense involves legal representation provided by the San Andreas Judicial Branch (SAJB) for individuals who cannot afford to hire a private attorney. Public defenders are licensed attorneys employed by the SAJB to defend people charged with crimes. They ensure that all defendants have access to legal representation, as guaranteed by the Constitution. Please note we have a limited pool of defense attorneys, if you can afford a private attorney we encourage you to reach out as public attorneys may not always be available.
Private Defense Attorney:
- Private Defense refers to legal representation by an attorney whom the defendant hires and pays for out of pocket. Private defense attorneys can often provide more personalized attention and may have more resources than public defenders. They are chosen by the defendant and can be specialized in specific areas of law.
Self-Representation:
- Self-Representation occurs when a defendant chooses to represent themselves in court without the assistance of an attorney. This can be risky because the defendant must handle all aspects of their defense, including legal research, court procedures, and arguing their case. The court will still provide some guidance to ensure a fair trial, but the defendant will largely be on their own.
Not Guilty:
Additional Charges:
Guilty:
- If found not-guilty from all or at least (1) one charge you will not be subject to pay court fees and will have said charge removed from your record, reimbursed for the fine accompanying the charge, and compensated for time spend incarcerated at a rate of $200 per day. (( minute )). If the acquitted charge resulted in the impounding of the individual's vehicle and/or the suspension of their firearms or vehicular license, the courts will pay out the impound fee, as well as $10,000 for a driver's license suspension and/or $20,000 for a firearms license suspension.
Additional Charges:
- During the judicial process, if it is discovered that additional criminal action was committed by you, the appropriate charges and their accompanying fines and jail time may be applied. Additionally, falsifying or lying during the case is and will be a punishable offense including but not limited to a criminal charge for perjury.
Guilty:
- The Judicial Branch reserves the right to seek court fees for time, effort, and resources expended on any case. While the Judicial Branch does not aim to deter any individual from having their case heard at trial, reasonable fees may be applied in cases that appear to inappropriately impose upon the court.
Not all evidence you wish to submit to the court should be done when filing your case; please wait to speak with an attorney before fully filling out the narrative portion of your submission. It is standard to write something along the lines of "I believe I was wrongfully charged," until you speak to an attorney. Please remember that once your case has been reviewed and activated, you can no longer change your narrative. The discovery phase begins after activation where all evidence may be submitted to the docket by your attorney or yourself, should you choose to self-represent.
(( Any information submitted in the case should be information obtained through in-character means. Should you choose to submit footage as evidence for consideration during an appeal, please provide proof of RP. If you do NOT have proof of RP, but have footage of your arrest, please reach out to your defense attorney OOCly with the footage. At times prosecution may have bodycam proof of RP from officers that would allow for the use of defendant footage.))
(( Any information submitted in the case should be information obtained through in-character means. Should you choose to submit footage as evidence for consideration during an appeal, please provide proof of RP. If you do NOT have proof of RP, but have footage of your arrest, please reach out to your defense attorney OOCly with the footage. At times prosecution may have bodycam proof of RP from officers that would allow for the use of defendant footage.))
How To Video
**Please note while the submission form has undergone minor changes, the basics of the video still apply.**
Criminal cases should be posted here.
Title: State of San Andreas v. Firstname Lastname
Example: State of San Andreas v. John Doe
Title: State of San Andreas v. Firstname Lastname
Example: State of San Andreas v. John Doe
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