Simply put, the following flowchart shows the basic structure of a trial. However, the chart also serves as the table of contents for this guide. Any parts that are in square brackets are explained in detail in a separate flow chart, and can be repeated as many times as you like. Parts that are inside round brackets and end in a question mark are optional.
You don't need to follow this exactly. A lot of trials need to make variations in the usual structure, because it's essential to the story. Also, this guide only covers a basic trial. How to do slightly more complicated ones with investigations isn't explained, but it's easy to add.
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It starts in the lobby → Court begins → Opening statement → [ The witness ] → ( Call a recess → Reflection and revelation → Reconvene )? → [ The witness ] → Breakdown → ( Confession )? → The arrest and the verdict → Conclusion
The witness: Calling the witness → [ Rebutting ] → Shock and lies
Rebutting: Witness testimony → Testimony remarks → Cross-examination → Objection! → But...! But...!
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1 It starts in the lobby
A trial should always begin in the Defendant's Lobby. In here, the defendant needs to have a chat with their lawyer -- the protagonist of your story. The chat shouldn't be too long, but shouldn't be too short either. Here is what you need to include in the beginning of any trial:-
- The defence attorney should introduce the defendant to the player.
- The defence attorney should have a chat with the defendant to give us an idea of their personality.
- The characters present should talk about the case, to give the player an idea of what is going on. Talk about things like what the crime is, where it happened and what evidence is in the Court Record.
- You may also want to get the lawyer to explain to the player who they are.
Here is what happens when the trial starts. It happens in the following order:--
- Show an overview of the courtroom with the gallery talking. Use a 300 timer.
- Show the judge banging his gavel once. Use a 100 timer.
- Start a courtroom music theme and show the judge speaking. He should say, "Court is now in session for the trial of abc." Replace abc with the name of the defendant.
- The judge should then ask if everyone is ready. Then, the defence and prosecution answer.
- You could make the characters have a small chat with each other. You could also have the defence whisper to the co-council about something.
- The judge should ask the prosecution to give their opening statement.
The opening statement is when the prosecution explains the basics of the trial. They should talk about things like why the defendant was accused, and what evidence proves it. After the opening statement, the prosecution sometimes present evidence to the court, such as the autopsy report and the murder weapon.
4 The witness
4.1 Calling the witness
It's time for a new witness to take to the stand! The first witness is usually the case's detective, but that is not always the case (pun not intended ). Each witness always needs to have something important to say, even if they're needed for only one testimony! The witness should be called like this:--
- The judge bangs his gavel and the music stops.
- The judge asks the prosecution who the next witness is.
- The prosecution says "The prosecution calls xyz to the stand." Replace xyz with the name of the witness.
- The screen fades to black.
- The screen shows the new witness at the stand. Use a 200 timer.
- The prosecution should ask the new witness for their name and occupation.
- Then, the new witness should answer the question. You could make the witness argue or do something else to give the player an idea of their personality.
4.2.1 WITNESS TESTIMONY
Testimonies consist of many statements (hopefully not too many ). A testimony needs to be about one thing only; don't make testimonies about multiple things all crammed into one. This is how a witness testimony is stated:--
- The "witness testimony" sprite appears with the witness standing behind it.
- Play a testimony music track.
- The witness should start stating all of the statements in their testimony. Don't make the dialogue green when you do this, because you must only do that in cross-examinations.
After the testimony, your characters may want to say something, especially if the information in the testimony was unexpected and shocking. This is how it should happen, following the end of the witness testimony:--
- The screen should fade to black
- The judge should say something about the testimony.
- You may want some characters to discuss the testimony. You could also have the defence attorney think to themselves about how to tackle the testimony in the cross-examination.
- The judge should tell the defence that they can now begin the cross-examination.
- You may want to have someone in the co-council explain to the defence attorney how to do a cross-examination if it is their first time in court.
It's time for the cross-examination! Before you start making a cross-examination, you need to decide how a contradiction or new information is going to be discovered. Also, you need to decide how difficult you want to make it. One way to make them easier is by giving hints in certain places (such as in the co-council conversation or when the player presses a statement). Here is what to include in a cross-examination:--
- The "cross-examination" sprite appears with the witness standing behind it.
- Play the testimony music. Use a 1 timer.
- When a statement is pressed, display the "Hold it!" bubble. Use a 150 timer.
- Try not to keep press conversations too short.
- You could have a hidden statement and reveal it after pressing another statement.
- In the co-council conversation, you could give a subtile hint on how to complete the cross-examination.
This is where the fun starts. At this moment, the player discovers that the evidence that they presented in the cross-examination is the correct one. Now it's time for the defence attorney to rub it in the lying witness's face. Here's what you should do:-
- Stop the music. Use a 1 timer.
- Display the "Objection!" bubble. Use a 150 timer.
- The defence should present the contradicting evidence to the court and explain why it's contradictory. As that happens, action music should start playing:-
- The "Objection!" theme is usually used in the first contradiction.
- "Confess the Truth" is usually used on contradictions that reveal something important.
- The "Pursuit" theme is used when the contradiction causes the defence to make a mad deduction (such as "You are the real murderer" or "The murder actually occurred somewhere else!" When this is played, the defence is usually asked to present one more piece of evidence that backs what they have said.
- The defence should explain what effect the contradiction has on the prosecution's case.
- Everyone in the court could be greatly shocked by the contradiction (for example, "WHAAAAAAAAAT!?").
- The prosecution should try to point out flaws in the contradiction.
- It could turn out that the contradiction was actually a trap set up by the prosecution, and that it reveals something that casts even more suspicion on the defendant!
After that has finished, the witness may be made to testify about something else to resolve the contradiction.
- The witness could claim that he can explain the lie.
- The witness could be asked by the prosecution to testify about something else.
It looks like the witness is no longer of use, either because they've said everything they can or because they're just lying! This is what could happen:-
- Maybe a new witness must be called, because...
- the defence has proven that the current witness is completely unreliable, and the court is generally very angry with him.
- all of information has been sucked out of the witness and the prosecution is ready to move onto their next one.
- Maybe the witness has shed new light on a piece of evidence, and a recess must be called (see the section called "Call a recess").
- Maybe the witness is the real killer, and the defence has shown enough proof that the witness cannot cover up the truth any longer (see the section called "Breakdown").
Once this point has been reached, either the defence is doing very well or the prosecution is still in complete control and is leading the case along as they planned. Either way, the trial is starting to reach a cliffhanger at this point. Here is a few suggestions of what could happen:-
- Maybe a recess must be called to prepare the next witness.
- Maybe new information has been discovered and a recess must be called so that the bailiff can send it to forensics to be analysed.
- On some occasions, a recess is called just because the trial is dragging on and it's time for a break.
- The judge suggests/agrees to have a recess and the music stops.
- The judge says "Court is adjourned."
- The judge bangs his gavel.
We're once again in the defendant lobby, but the trial is not over yet! Most trials have a recess, but they're never wasted; something important always happens in them. Here is a number of examples as to what could happen:-
- Maybe the defence could discuss the case with each their companions and reflect on what has happened in the trial to give a re-cap.
- Maybe the defence is given new evidence by someone.
- Maybe new information is uncovered that is important for the case.
- At the end of the recess, the bailiff calls everyone back into the courtroom.
- The defence might quickly finish their discussion.
- Optionally, a black screen is shown and the defence thinks to themselves about what could happen in the trial (to build suspense).
Once everyone is back in the courtroom, the trial continues similar to how it started:
- Show an overview of the courtroom with the gallery talking. Use a 300 timer.
- Show the judge banging his gavel once. Use a 100 timer.
- Start a courtroom music theme and show the judge speaking. He should say, "Court will now reconvene."
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! Only an Ace Attorney game could make such a silly sentence so dramatic. They're necessary to show that the player has been successful in finally defeating the real killer. Villains don't always need to scream when they have a breakdown, however. Sometimes, a quick snap or just fainting will be better; it just depends on what sort of person the villain is; mad like Luke Atmey, or calm and collected like Dee Vasquez. Either way, there is a convention that all breakdowns follow:-
- The villain gives a last attempt of resistance before the defence gives a final blow to their lies (perhaps by presenting evidence).
- The villain reacts to their defeat in an over-the-top way, depending on their character.
- The screen fades to black.
Sometimes, the villain does not need to give a confession, because everything has already been explained. Sometimes, however, the villain will feel the need to explain their actions once they finish their breakdown.
- Whilst the screen is still black, the villain explains their motives and how the crime happened.
10 The arrest and the verdict
It's all over, now, and the defence can finally breath a sigh of relief. Here is what usually happens during the arrest:-
- The Court Begins music plays, and the judge asks the prosecution what has happened to the witness (i.e. the villain).
- The prosecution (perhaps embarrassedly) responds by stating that they have been arrested and have been taken in for questioning.
- Then judge then proceeds to announced the verdict.
- The judge says "The court finds the defendant, abc..." Replace abc with the name of the defendant.
- The "Not Guilty" sprite appears. The "Not guilty" sound effect is played. Use a 200 timer.
- A court overview is shown. The confetti sprite appears. The "Victory" sound effect is played. Use a 300 timer.
- The judge says "That is all. Court is adjourned!"
- The judge bands his gavel.
Finally, justice has been served! In the conclusion, everyone is back in the defendant lobby for the last time. Here is what should happen:-
- The characters congratulate each other and discuss the case.
- The player should have a reason to present evidence for one last time (without a penalty), maybe to cheer up a character or to state how important a particular piece of evidence was.
- The characters discuss what to do next, such as buying burgers to celebrate!
- The screen fades to black defence thinks to themselves about what they have learned from the trial and how successful it was.