Any lawyerfags here?

Breakdown of the process:

Charge and Trial:

A person is charged with a felony and goes through the trial process or may plead guilty/no contest to the charges.

Conviction:

If the person is found guilty at trial or pleads guilty/no contest, they are convicted of the felony. At this point, they are legally considered a convicted felon.

Sentencing:

After the conviction, there is often a separate sentencing phase where the court determines the appropriate punishment (e.g., imprisonment, fines, probation).

EDIT:

No, a person is not considered a convicted felon as soon as the jury decides they are guilty. The jury's guilty verdict is a significant step, but the formal conviction status is typically established when the judge accepts the jury's verdict and enters a judgment of conviction.

So did Judge Merchant accept the jury's verdict yet?