[dragonwriter]

> Why do we allow multiple charges per trial?

Because it saves the state (and, hence, the public) -- both the court and the prosecution -- witnesses, and the defendant time, and money and reaches finality sooner to consider related charges in a single proceeding rather than serial proceedings.

That's why we actually go further than allowing multiple charges per trial, but require, in many circumstances, related charges to be prosecuted in the same trial or not at all.

And, also, why we do the same thing in the civil system (though in that case, you have to consider another party -- the potential private plaintiff -- who has the same savings, since the state is no longer paying both the court and the prosecution.)