Jefferson County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Jefferson County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Jefferson County.
Jefferson County Arraignments
An arraignment is a court hearing. In Jefferson County this is the first thing that will happen in a criminal case. The defendant will be brought before a judge in Jefferson County Criminal Court and the judge will read the charges that were filed against the defendant. The judge will also read the rights the defendant has and ask the defendant if they understand both the charges filed against them and their rights as a defendant in the case. In Jefferson County a plea of Guilty, Not Guilty or No Contest may be entered. In a guilty or no contest plea the sentencing of the defendant may take place at the same arraignment hearing or a later date may be scheduled for sentencing. For a not guilty plea, a date will be set for a trial.
Jefferson County Prosecutor
For criminal cases in Jefferson County, the prosecutor will be a representative of Jefferson County. The Jefferson County prosecutor reviews all evidence and ultimately decides whether to file or dismiss charges in the case. Most of the time, the prosecutor has leeway in plea negotiations and determines how the case will be prosecuted.
Jefferson County Criminal Court
Defendant Sentencing
At a sentence hearing the judge will inform the defendant of the sentence that will be imposed. This sometimes occurs at the same hearing in which the defendant is found guilty (either by trial or plea agreement). In can also occur at a later date, most often this is due to the complexity of the case where more time is needed to determine the appropriate sentence.
What is a Plea Agreement?
A plea agreement is a deal made between the prosecution and the defendant in a case, where the defendant agrees to plea guilty to a particular charge in exchange for some concession from the prosecutor. In practice, more than 90% of criminal cases end with a plea agreement.
Who can help me in Jefferson County?
For general information about your case the Jefferson County court clerk will be able to provide legal information about your specific criminal case. Legal information is not legal advice though, the court clerk will only be able to provide information about your case, like date/time of hearings what will occur at the hearing and what you may be required to do in the hearing. They cannot provide advice about what you should do or what the best legal options may be for your particular case. Only an attorney can provide legal advice and this is your best place for information about your specific criminal proceeding. If you cannot afford to hire a private attorney to represent you, a judge will appoint an attorney to represent you, this is most often a public defender.
What if I can’t afford an attorney?
The 6th Amendment guarantees you the right to an attorney whether or not you can afford one. If you cannot afford one, a public defender will be appointed by the court to represent you.
Jury by Trial Right
The US Constitution (Article 3 along with the 6th Amendment) ensures an accused defendant the right to a jury trial. This applies to crimes that have a $500 fine or a potential sentence of six months in jail (aka Serious Crimes). This right to trial by jury can also be waived by a defendant.
Burden of Proof Requirement
In a criminal case in the United States, the burden of proof always requires the prosecutor to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty. This is a high threshold that must be met by the prosecution when presenting evidence in a case. If the prosecution fails in it’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt the judge must find the defendant not guilty. In a jury trial, the judge will inform the jury what this burden is and their obligation to find the defendant not guilty if they feel the prosecution did prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Mandatory Appearances in Jefferson County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Jefferson County, the defendant must appear before the court. In the event of a “Failure to Appear” the judge may issue a warrant for the arrest of the defendant. Note: not all criminal hearings are mandatory, in a non-mandatory hearing an attorney may appear on your behalf without you being in court.
Jefferson County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Jefferson County will take place at the Jefferson County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Jefferson County Criminal Court Locations.
Jury Deliberation
In a jury trial in Jefferson County, after both the prosecution and defense have rested, the judge will give instructions to the jury and jury deliberations will begin. The jury will convence in a private room to discuss and deliberate the innocence or guilt of the defendant. Once the jury arrives at a unimanous decision, they will inform the judge that they have reached a decision. They will return to the court and the verdict will be read aloud. If the jury cannot reach a unaminous decision, the jury is said to be deadlocked and a mistrial will be declared in the case.
Can I appeal a guilty verdict?
If found guilty, a defendant may decide to appeal his case to an appelate court. The appellate court will not retry the case, they will examine the proceedings in the lower court to make sure they were done in a legal manner. The appellate court can either uphold the original conviction, or determine that due to errors made in the original trial, that there must be a retrial, resentencing or a complete dismissal of the charges.
Jefferson County Criminal Court Locations
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Jefferson County Circuit Court
Address: 801 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd N, Birmingham AL 35203
Phone: 205-325-5285 Fax: 205-325-8754 -
Jefferson County Circuit Court
Address: 716 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd N, Birmingham AL 35203
Phone: 205-325-5355 -
Jefferson County Circuit Court
Address: 2124 7th Ave N, Birmingham AL 35203
Phone: 205-325-5400 -
Jefferson County Circuit Court
Address: 1851 2nd Ave N, Bessemer AL 35020
Phone: 205-497-8510 -
Jefferson County Family Court
Address: 120 2nd Court N, Birmingham AL 35204
Phone: 205-325-5491 -
Jefferson County Family Court
Address: 1801 3rd Ave N, Bessemer AL 35020
Phone: 205-744-3500 -
Jefferson County District Court
Address: 1851 2nd Ave N, Bessemer AL 35020
Phone: 205-497-8510 -
Jefferson County District Court
Address: 716 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd N, Birmingham AL 35203
Phone: 205-325-5355 -
Jefferson County District Court
Address: 801 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd N, Birmingham AL 35203
Phone: 205-325-5285 Fax: 205-325-8754 -
Jefferson County Family Court
Address: 1801 3rd Ave N, Bessemer AL 35020
Phone: 205-744-3500 -
Jefferson County Family Court
Address: 120 2nd Court N, Birmingham AL 35204
Phone: 205-325-5491 -
Adamsville Municipal Court
Address: 4828 Main St, Adamsville AL 35005
Phone: 205-674-5671 -
Bessemer Municipal Court
Address: 23 N 15th St, Bessemer AL 35020
Phone: 205-426-8602 Fax: 205-481-4384 -
Birmingham Municipal Court – Main Office
Address: 801 17th St N, Birmingham AL 35203
Phone: 205-254-2161 Fax: 205-254-2896 -
Brighton Municipal Court
Address: 3700 Main St, Brighton AL 35020
Phone: 205-425-8934 -
Brookside Municipal Court
Address: 2711 Municipal Ln, Brookside AL 35036
Phone: 205-674-9275 -
Fairfield Municipal Court
Address: 5231 Court B, Fairfield AL 35064
Phone: 205-787-1679 -
Fultondale Municipal Court
Address: 1210 Walker Chapel Rd, PO Box 699, Fultondale AL 35068
Phone: 205-841-1430 -
Gardendale Municipal Court
Address: 1309 Decatur Hwy, PO Box 889, Gardendale AL 35071
Phone: 205-631-7155 Fax: 205-631-7156 -
Graysville Municipal Court
Address: 246 S Main St, PO Box 130, Graysville AL 35073
Phone: 205-674-5643 Fax: 205-674-5646 -
Homewood Municipal Court
Address: 1833 29th Ave S, Homewood AL 35209
Phone: 205-332-6268 -
Hoover Municipal Court
Address: 2020 Valleydale Rd, Hoover AL 35244
Phone: 205-444-7526 Fax: 205-444-7542 -
Hueytown Municipal Court
Address: 1318 Hueytown Rd, PO Box 3650, Hueytown AL 35023
Phone: 205-491-5728 Fax: 205-491-5795 -
Irondale Municipal Court
Address: 101 S 20th St, Irondale AL 35210
Phone: 205-951-1414 -
Kimberly Municipal Court
Address: 9256 Stouts Rd, PO Box 206, Kimberly AL 35091
Phone: 205-647-5531 -
Leeds Municipal Court
Address: 1400 9th St, #100, Leeds AL 35094
Phone: 205-699-0913 Fax: 205-699-3854 -
Lipscomb Municipal Court
Address: 5512 Ave H, Lipscomb AL 35020
Phone: 205-428-6374 -
Midfield Municipal Court
Address: 725 Bessemer Super Hwy, Midfield AL 35228
Phone: 205-923-3542 -
Morris Municipal Court
Address: 8304 Stouts Rd, PO Box 163, Morris AL 35116
Phone: 205-647-0596 -
Mountain Brook Municipal Court
Address: 56 Church St, Mountain Brook AL 35213
Phone: 205-802-3827 Fax: 205-870-3590 -
Pleasant Grove Municipal Court
Address: 501 Park Rd, Pleasant Grove AL 35127
Phone: 205-744-1721 -
Tarrant Municipal Court
Address: 1604 Pinson Valley Pkwy, Birmingham AL 35217
Phone: 205-802-2804 -
Trafford Municipal Court
Address: 9239 E Commercial Ave, Trafford AL 35172
Phone: 205-647-3751 -
Trussville Municipal Court
Address: 131 Main St, PO Box 159, Trussville AL 35173
Phone: 205-655-8352 -
Vestavia Hills Municipal Court
Address: 513 Montgomery Hwy, PO Box 660854, Vestavia Hills AL 35266
Phone: 205-978-0103 Fax: 205-978-0209 -
Warrior Municipal Court
Address: 215 Main St, Warrior AL 35180
Phone: 205-647-0520 Fax 205-647-0551