Courtroom

The District Court in Los Angeles contains several courtrooms. These are the main battlegrounds for defense attorneys and prosecutors. During a trial, the defense attorney argues his or her case against the prosecutor by cross-examining the prosecution's witnesses, usually to find information that contradicts the facts (due to perjury or forgetfulness on the witness's part), though other purposes can be fulfilled in this way as well.

Until 2026, trials were conducted as bench trials, which meant that the judge, who presides over these trials, could freely render the verdict. Under the new Jurist System, the judge can still hand down guilty verdicts based on accumulated penalties, but otherwise, final judgment is given to a six-member jury to make by consensus.

Notable courtroom sections
The defense's bench is on the judge's left and houses the defense team. The prosecution's bench is on the judge's right and houses the prosecutor. The witness stand is directly in front of the judge's bench. Witnesses are to testify here, usually for the prosecution, when summoned. Additionaly, defendants usually receive their verdicts here, although Phoenix Wright remained at the defense's bench when his verdict was declared. The judge's bench houses the judge. The judge mediates the proceedings and (in bench trials) gives the verdict.