How many times will I have to appear in court?
No one can tell in advance how many times or how long you will have to be in court. The process of justice takes time. The number of times you may be called to appear in court and the delays you may encounter are the result of many factors, including pre-trial motions or other scheduled events with your case, or congestion on the judge's court calendar.


The stages involved in processing a criminal case are summarized on our Anatomy of a Prosecution page. In general, your first and only appearance for misdemeanor offenses will be for the actual trial. In a felony case, the first time you appear as a witness may be for the preliminary examination. On rare occasions, pre-trial motions by the defense attorney or by the prosecuting attorney may require additional hearings before the trial begins, which may require witness testimony.

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1. Why am I a witness? I didn't see the crime occur.
2. What if someone threatens me?
3. What if the defense attorney contacts me?
4. Do I have to testify in front of the defendant?
5. Who will be with me in court?
6. How long will I be at court?
7. How many times will I have to appear in court?
8. What if my employer won't let me come to court?
9. I was subpoenaed by the defendant, not the prosecutor. Does this change anything?
10. What if I need an interpreter?
11. Can I get witness fees whether or not I attend on the date stated in the subpoena? What if I can't attend on the date stated in the subpoena?
12. Does the Prosecuting Attorney's Office pay my witness fee? Am I paid in cash?
13. How do I know if my case has been "called off"?
14. Is there a seperate Victim/Witness room ?