# How a US criminal jury trial works

> A process map exported from forks.world (https://forks.world). Author: Brian. Source: https://forks.world/p/cmv21ya0j001qif06cqx22pdz
> It describes who does what, in what order, and with which technology. Read the plain-language sections first; the JSON at the end is the exact, complete data.

## Summary

- 13 steps across 1 layer
- Persona: Judge and court, Prosecutor, Defense lawyer, The jury

## How to read this file

- A process is made of **layers**. The main layer is the top level; any step of kind `subprocess` opens a detail layer with its own lanes and steps.
- **Lanes** are either persona (people/roles) or technology (systems). Each step belongs to one lane; `using` lists tools a person uses for that step.
- Step kinds: `start`, `task`, `decision` (its arrows carry the answer as a label), `subprocess`, `end`.

## How a US criminal jury trial works

Lanes:
- Judge and court: person / role (id `court`)
- Prosecutor: person / role (id `prosecutor`)
- Defense lawyer: person / role (id `defense`)
- The jury: person / role (id `jury`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Charges are filed** [start; Prosecutor; id `j1`]
   - then Pretrial motions and plea talks
2. **Pretrial motions and plea talks** [task; Defense lawyer; id `j2`]
   - then Does the defendant take a plea deal?
3. **Does the defendant take a plea deal?** [decision; Defense lawyer; id `j3`]
   - if "Yes" go to Judge accepts the plea and sentences; if "No" go to Jury is picked from a pool of local citizens
4. **Judge accepts the plea and sentences** [end; Judge and court; id `j4`]
5. **Jury is picked from a pool of local citizens** [task; Judge and court; id `j5`]
   - then Opening statements and evidence
6. **Opening statements and evidence** [task; Prosecutor; id `j6`]
   - then Cross-examines and presents a defense
7. **Cross-examines and presents a defense** [task; Defense lawyer; id `j7`]
   - then Judge instructs the jury on the law
8. **Judge instructs the jury on the law** [task; Judge and court; id `j8`]
   - then Deliberates in private
9. **Deliberates in private** [task; The jury; id `j9`]
   - then Do all twelve agree beyond a reasonable doubt?
10. **Do all twelve agree beyond a reasonable doubt?** [decision; The jury; id `j10`]
   - if "Guilty" go to Judge sets a sentence; if "Not guilty" go to The defendant is free to go; if "Not yet" go to Deliberates in private
11. **Judge sets a sentence** [task; Judge and court; id `j11`]
   - then May appeal to a higher court
12. **May appeal to a higher court** [end; Defense lawyer; id `j13`]
13. **The defendant is free to go** [end; Judge and court; id `j12`]

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_court["Judge and court"]
    n_j4(["Judge accepts the plea and sentences"])
    n_j5["Jury is picked from a pool of local citizens"]
    n_j8["Judge instructs the jury on the law"]
    n_j11["Judge sets a sentence"]
    n_j12(["The defendant is free to go"])
  end
  subgraph l_prosecutor["Prosecutor"]
    n_j1(["Charges are filed"])
    n_j6["Opening statements and evidence"]
  end
  subgraph l_defense["Defense lawyer"]
    n_j2["Pretrial motions and plea talks"]
    n_j3{"Does the defendant take a plea deal?"}
    n_j7["Cross-examines and presents a defense"]
    n_j13(["May appeal to a higher court"])
  end
  subgraph l_jury["The jury"]
    n_j9["Deliberates in private"]
    n_j10{"Do all twelve agree beyond a reasonable doubt?"}
  end
  n_j1 --> n_j2
  n_j2 --> n_j3
  n_j3 -->|"Yes"| n_j4
  n_j3 -->|"No"| n_j5
  n_j5 --> n_j6
  n_j6 --> n_j7
  n_j7 --> n_j8
  n_j8 --> n_j9
  n_j9 --> n_j10
  n_j10 -->|"Guilty"| n_j11
  n_j10 -->|"Not guilty"| n_j12
  n_j10 -->|"Not yet"| n_j9
  n_j11 --> n_j13
```

## Full data (JSON)

```json
{
  "title": "How a US criminal jury trial works",
  "maps": {
    "m_root": {
      "id": "m_root",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "court",
          "name": "Judge and court",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "prosecutor",
          "name": "Prosecutor",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "defense",
          "name": "Defense lawyer",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "jury",
          "name": "The jury",
          "type": "person"
        }
      ],
      "steps": [
        {
          "id": "j1",
          "kind": "start",
          "lane": "prosecutor",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "j2"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Charges are filed"
        },
        {
          "id": "j2",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "defense",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "j3"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Pretrial motions and plea talks"
        },
        {
          "id": "j3",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "defense",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "j4",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "j5",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Does the defendant take a plea deal?"
        },
        {
          "id": "j4",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "court",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Judge accepts the plea and sentences"
        },
        {
          "id": "j5",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "court",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "j6"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Jury is picked from a pool of local citizens"
        },
        {
          "id": "j6",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "prosecutor",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "j7"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Opening statements and evidence"
        },
        {
          "id": "j7",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "defense",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "j8"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Cross-examines and presents a defense"
        },
        {
          "id": "j8",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "court",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "j9"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Judge instructs the jury on the law"
        },
        {
          "id": "j9",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "jury",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "j10"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Deliberates in private"
        },
        {
          "id": "j10",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "jury",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "j11",
              "label": "Guilty"
            },
            {
              "to": "j12",
              "label": "Not guilty"
            },
            {
              "to": "j9",
              "label": "Not yet"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Do all twelve agree beyond a reasonable doubt?"
        },
        {
          "id": "j11",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "court",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "j13"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Judge sets a sentence"
        },
        {
          "id": "j12",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "court",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "The defendant is free to go"
        },
        {
          "id": "j13",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "defense",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "May appeal to a higher court"
        }
      ],
      "title": "How a US criminal jury trial works",
      "parent": null
    }
  }
}
```