Rule 143 Harmless Error

Mistakes happen in court cases, but not every mistake is serious enough to change the outcome. A judge's error only matters if it actually hurt someone's case in a meaningful way or led to an unfair result.

If a mistake did not change what happened in your case, the court will not throw out the verdict or order a new trial just because of that mistake. The error has to be connected to something important, like your ability to present your case or defend yourself.