Learn Spanish (Spain): ¿Es dudoso que el tribunal condene a la asesina? - Is it doubtful that the court will convict the murderer?

The phrase es dudoso que (it is doubtful that) expresses uncertainty, which is a classic trigger for the subjunctive. Because of this doubt, the verb condenar (to convict) must be conjugated as condene in the present subjunctive.

The English translation says "will convict" in the future tense. Why is the Spanish verb condene in the present tense?

In Spanish, the present subjunctive is frequently used to talk about the future, especially after doubt triggers like es dudoso que. Because modern, everyday Spanish does not use a future subjunctive, the present subjunctive steps in to cover actions that might or might not happen later.

If I change this to a negative statement, No es dudoso que..., do I still use the subjunctive?

No. Saying no es dudoso que (it is not doubtful that) expresses certainty, not doubt. Certainty triggers the normal indicative mood. In that case, you would say No es dudoso que el tribunal condena... to show you are sure it will happen.

Why is there an a right before la asesina?

This is a refresher on the "personal a." Whenever the direct object of a verb is a specific person, Spanish requires an a in front of it. Here, the murderer (la asesina) is a specific person receiving the action of being convicted, so the a is mandatory.