Court Appearances
Unlike in civil cases, in Criminal Cases the defendant is required to appear on all court dates unless the defendant’s appearance has been waived by the court. Most court dates are conference dates where the defense attorney will conference the case with the prosecutor, with a view towards resolving the case prior to a trial. It is common for criminal cases to have multiple conference dates while the defense attorney attempts to resolve the case. Most criminal cases are negotiated and resolved on one of the conference dates. Cases that are not resolved will usually proceed to trial. In addition to negotiating with the prosecutor, court appearances serve as an opportunity for the defense attorney to address the court, to request changes in custody status, request a change in the amount of bail, request that an order of protection be vacated or modified, as well as finalizing a negotiated plea, hearings, trials and sentencings.