| A DEFENDANT'S RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT DURING TRIAL |
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| The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that no person shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself or herself. The self-incrimination privilege of the Fifth Amendment means that a defendant cannot be compelled to testify at his or her criminal trial More... |
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| HUNG JURY |
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A jury is required to render a unanimous verdict in a criminal trial. If the jury cannot reach a unanimous verdict, the jury is considered to be a hung jury. A trial court must declare a mistrial in the event of a hung jury.
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| SEARCH WARRANTS |
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| A search warrant is a written document that is signed by a magistrate or a judicial officer. The search warrant allows the police to conduct a search and describes the property that may be seized. More... |
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| Ex Post Facto Laws |
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| An ex post facto law is a law that provides for punishment for an act that was committed when the act was not illegal. Additionally, an ex post facto law includes: More... |
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| JURISDICTION OVER OFFENSES THAT ARE COMMITTED ON NATIVE AMERICAN RESERVATIONS |
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| When a criminal offense is committed in "Indian Country," jurisdiction over the offense may be assumed by either the federal government, by a state, or by a tribal court. The entity that will assume jurisdiction over the offense depends upon the nature of the offense, whether any jurisdiction has been conferred on a state, and whether the perpetrator or the victim of the offense is a Native American.
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