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    Greenwich DUI Jury Trials

    There is one primary distinction between a bench trial and a jury trial. In a bench trial, a case will take place only in front of a judge and there is no jury. In a jury trial, a case will be heard in front of a jury of six people.

    The main difference between the two is that with the bench trial, the judge hears all of the evidence and makes all of the decisions. With a Greenwich DUI jury trial, the judge only decides what evidence comes in front of the jury and what does not. It is situation dependent on whether someone should have a bench trial or jury trial.

    It can sometimes be difficult for an individual to determine whether or not they should proceed with a bench or jury trial in their case. There is often specific information in play that can help an individual decide which route is best for them, however, this should be discussed with an experienced attorney. A lawyer will best be able to legally advise an individual to help them reach a positive result in their DUI case.

    Proceeding with a Jury Trial

    The common traits of a case that might motivate someone to take the case to a Greenwich DUI jury trial are misconduct, failure to follow procedure by the officers, and a faulty breath test.

    Connecticut has individual jury selection, so the jurors are summoned for jury duty and are brought into a room one at a time. The prosecutor and the defense attorney each have a chance to question the juror. There are limitations on those questions, but there is a broad scope on what they can ask.

    The prosecutor and defense attorney can agree to dismiss the juror. When there is no agreement, one side can use a preemptory challenge to dismiss the juror. The judge is present the whole time, ruling on these issues.

    Pros and Cons

    The pros of a Greenwich DUI jury trial is that a person has their case decided by a jury of their peers. The constitution allows and demands that a person has a chance to put on their defense to prove to the jury why they are not guilty.

    The cons are that it can be a very long process, a very expensive process, and the person may have someone on their jury that may think negatively of people who have been charged with a DUI. This, in turn, can hurt the person’s case.

    Benefits of an Attorney

    There are a lot of benefits to working with a local attorney. A DUI lawyer will know the courts, the judges, and the prosecutors. The attorney knows what the prosecution looks for, the procedures, and the local people of Greenwich and what they like and what they do not like. The attorney knows who will be good for a Greenwich DUI jury trial.