Trials will be heard solely by a Judge (Bench trial) or before a jury. Subpoenas will be issued to those witnesses involved in the case. If you are served a subpoena, you are required to appear for court and failure to do so may result in the judge issuing a warrant for your arrest.
It is very important to contact the Victim/Witness Unit or the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney assigned to the case prior to the trial date. They will tell you when and where you need to appear. Often times, while trials may start on the time and date of the subpoena, you may not be needed to testify until later in the week.
If a trial is continued, the subpoena remains valid and it becomes even more crucial to contact the Prosecutor's Office to obtain the correct time and date you are required to appear. While trials are open to any interested person, many times witnesses will be barred from coming into the courtroom until they testify. If you are a witness, do not enter the courtroom until you are instructed.
If you have not received a trial continuance letter from the Prosecutor's Office and have not heard from the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney or an Advocate regarding whether or not the trial is going the following Monday, please call the Prosecutor's Office the Friday afternoon before trial at 477-3662 or the TRIAL MESSAGE LINE at 477-2803 after 5:00 p.m. to confirm the trial date.
Trials can be continued many times due to several reasons: the judge and/or the attorneys schedules, the availability of witnesses, waiting for more discovery, etc. Cases may take anywhere from 10-14 months to being resolved, if not longer.