From special counsel to trial: How a federal criminal case progresses

Flow chart showing stages leading up to trial and beyond, including role of grand jury (to decide whether there is probable cause and, if so, indict), what indictment means (being formally charged with a crime), and arraignment (when defendant appears in court to hear and answer charges).

Prosecutor/Special Counsel Jack Smith

The prosecutor (special counsel in this case) and his

office present evidence to the grand jury during their

investigation. The special counsel prepares an

indictment and asks the grand jury for a vote.

Attorney general

The special counsel must

notify the attorney general

of significant events, such

as a decision to ask the

grand jury for indictment

Grand jury

Grand juries decide whether there is probable cause.

If so, a suspect is indicted.

Indictment

No indictment

Arrest

Initial hearing/Arraignment

The defendant appears before a

magistrate judge to hear charges

and enter a plea. The judge also

decides whether to grant bail.

Discovery

Guilty plea

Prosecution must share evidence

with defense during discovery.

Preliminary Hearing

Held within 14 or 21 days of the

initial hearing, the prosecutor

must prove there is enough

evidence to try the case.

Pre-trial motions

Attorneys on both sides may

motion the court to decide

certain issues, such as venue,

what evidence will be shown, or

whether to dismiss the case.

Trial

Not guilty

Guilty

Post-trial motions

Common post-trial motions

include asking for a new trial,

acquittal, or vacate, set aside, or

correct a sentence.

Sentencing

- Adjust height of artboards as needed

- At minium make 560px and 280px versions

- Delete the artboards that are not used

- Mono for labels and annotations

- Founders Condensed for headings

- Publico Text for text copy

- Font sizes:

10px, 12px, 14px, 16px, 18px, 20px, 24px, 32px, 48px, 60px, 80px, 96px, 128px

- Global Hex Colors:

black #000,

gray-100 #2a2a2a

gray-80 #555

gray-60 #999

gray-40 #ccc

gray-20 #ebebeb

white: #fff

red: #fa3a3a

- Brand Hex Colors:

midnight-blue: #102039; // News, MSNBC

clear-blue: #3061ff; // News, MSNBC

wilde-sand: #f2f2f2; // News

amber: #ffbe03; // MSNBC

plum: #380538; // TODAY

vermillion: #ff503c; // TODAY

alabaster: #f8f8f8; // TODAY

violet: #5c00d8; // MACH

biege: #f1f0ed; // MACH, BETTER, THINK, KNOW YOUR VALUE

burst: #ff5042; // THINK

tangerine: #f6a383; // KNOW YOUR VALUE

green: #13a31a; // KARA GREEN

orange: #f96419; // KARA ORANGE

pink: #db0e9c; // KARA PINK

dem-blue: #0495f4; // 2020 DECISIONS BLUE

rep-red: #ff3333; // 2020 DECISIONS RED

-Strokes

Grid stroke

Axis stroke

Line stroke

Annotation stroke

Prosecutor/Special Counsel Jack Smith

The prosecutor (special counsel in this case) and his office present evidence to the grand jury during their investigation. The special counsel prepares an indictment and asks the grand jury for a vote.

Attorney general

The special counsel must notify the attorney general of significant events, such as a decision to ask the grand jury for indictment

Grand jury

Grand juries decide whether there is probable cause. If so, a suspect is indicted.

Indictment

No indictment

Arrest

Initial hearing/Arraignment

The defendant appears before a magistrate judge to hear charges and enter a plea. The judge also decides whether to grant bail.

Discovery

Guilty plea

Prosecution must share evidence with defense during discovery.

Preliminary Hearing

Held within 14 or 21 days of the initial hearing, the prosecutor must prove there is enough evidence to try the case.

Pre-trial motions

Attorneys on both sides may motion the court to decide certain issues, such as venue, what evidence will be shown, or whether to dismiss the case.

Trial

Not guilty

Guilty

Post-trial motions

Common post-trial motions include asking for a new trial, acquittal, or vacate, set aside, or correct a sentence.

Sentencing

Prosecutor/Special Counsel Jack Smith

The prosecutor (special counsel in this case) and his office present evidence to the grand jury during their investigation. The special counsel prepares an indictment and asks the grand jury for a vote.

Attorney general

The special counsel must notify the attorney general of significant events, such as a decision to ask the grand jury for indictment

Grand jury

Grand juries decide whether there is probable cause. If so, a suspect is indicted.

Indictment

No indictment

Arrest

Initial hearing/Arraignment

The defendant appears before a magistrate judge to hear charges and enter a plea. The judge also decides whether to grant bail.

Discovery

Guilty plea

Prosecution must share evidence with defense during discovery.

Preliminary Hearing

Held within 14 or 21 days of the initial hearing, the prosecutor must prove there is enough evidence to try the case.

Pre-trial motions

Attorneys on both sides may motion the court to decide certain issues, such as venue, what evidence will be shown, or whether to dismiss the case.

Trial

Not guilty

Guilty

Post-trial motions

Common post-trial motions include asking for a new trial, acquittal, or vacate, set aside, or correct a sentence.

Sentencing

Prosecutor/Special Counsel Jack Smith

The prosecutor (special counsel in this case) and his office present evidence to the grand jury during their investigation. The special counsel prepares an indictment and asks the grand jury for a vote.

Attorney general

The special counsel must notify the attorney general of significant events, such as a decision to ask the grand jury for indictment

Grand jury

Grand juries decide whether there is probable cause. If so, a suspect is indicted.

Indictment

No indictment

Arrest

Initial hearing/Arraignment

The defendant appears before a magistrate judge to hear charges and enter a plea. The judge also decides whether to grant bail.

Discovery

Guilty plea

Prosecution must share evidence with defense during discovery.

Preliminary Hearing

Held within 14 or 21 days of the initial hearing, the prosecutor must prove there is enough evidence to try the case.

Pre-trial motions

Attorneys on both sides may motion the court to decide certain issues, such as venue, what evidence will be shown, or whether to dismiss the case.

Trial

Not guilty

Guilty

Post-trial motions

Common post-trial motions include asking for a new trial, acquittal, or vacate, set aside, or correct a sentence.

Sentencing