How are criminal cases tried?

Criminal cases are very similar to civil cases, except instead of a plaintiff, there is a prosecuting attorney. The prosecuting attorney may represent either the Commonwealth (the state) or a city, county, or town.

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1. What are my responsibilities now that I'm part of a jury?
2. What is a "question of law?"
3. What is a "question of fact?"
4. Who else will be in the courtroom? What will they be doing?
5. What happens during a civil trial?
6. What are jury instructions?
7. Who awards damages in a civil case?
8. How are criminal cases tried?
9. What are the two types of criminal cases?
10. Who sets the punishment in criminal cases?
11. Why do the attorneys object to certain statements or evidence?
12. Why is the jury sometimes asked to leave the courtroom in the middle of a trial?
13. What should I do when testimony is stricken from the record?
14. Can I talk to anyone about the trial while it's going on?
15. Can I watch news reports of the trial or read newspaper accounts of it?
16. What if I accidentally hear something about the trial outside the courtroom?
17. What if I need a break during the trial?