Case 8-2
Ruth was arrested for burglary. If Ruth is found guilty, she can be sentenced to 5 years in a state prison. The prosecutors are offering her a 3-year prison sentence if she pleads guilty to the charges. Ruth is being represented by a public defender who informs Ruth she must decide if she will take the plea bargain or decide to go to trial for the charge of burglary.
-Ruth decides to take her chances and plead not guilty. She wants to go to trial. Ruth believes that it will be better for a judge to decide questions of legality and fact. This type of trial is known as a:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A bench trial is a trial by judge, where the judge decides questions of legality and fact, as opposed to a jury trial where a jury makes these determinations.

Case 8-2 Ruth Was Arrested for Burglary. If Ruth Is Found Guilty