A judgment in a criminal case is the court's decision regarding the guilt or innocence of the defendant and the punishment to be imposed.

The judgment is delivered when all testimony in the case has been heard, and the prosecutor and defence have delivered their closing arguments. In some cases, the judgment is not delivered until a few days after the court hearing. The judge will announce the time and date of its delivery.

When a judgment is delivered and read out, everyone present must rise.

If you are a victim in the case, you can call the court's office to find out the verdict. You can also ask the court or the prosecution service for a copy of the judgment.

The defendant is usually entitled to have his or her case heard in both the district court and the high court. If the defendant disagrees with the district court's decision, he or she may appeal against the decision and have the case brought before the high court. The prosecution service may also appeal the case to the high court.

The defendant or the prosecution service must file their appeal within 14 days of the date the judgment was delivered.

A victim in a criminal case cannot decide whether a judgment should be appealed to the high court. This is a decision for the defendant or the prosecution service.

Back to the criminal justice process