Rule 17.10 Discovery in Municipal and Justice Courts

If you're facing a criminal case in municipal or justice court, this rule lets you ask the prosecutor for certain information before trial. To use it, you have to make a written request. Once you do, the prosecutor must share the names of witnesses they plan to call, any written statements you made, your criminal record if they plan to use it against you, lab test results, and any physical evidence, photos, or electronic data they plan to use in court. They also have to hand over anything that helps prove your innocence, along with a copy of any affidavit used to get a search warrant in your case. If the prosecutor learns new information after handing over these materials, they have to keep you updated.

This process works both ways. If you ask the prosecutor for this information, they can ask you for the same type of information in return. This means your defense may also need to share witness names, evidence, and other materials covered by the rule.

The point of this rule is to prevent surprises at trial. Both sides get a chance to see the evidence and know who might testify before the trial starts. This gives everyone a fair chance to prepare their case.