Randolph County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Randolph County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Randolph County.
Randolph County Required Court Appearances
In Randolph County, there are both required and non-required court appearances for the defendant. At a required or mandatory appearance hearing, the defendant is required to appear in person before the court. Failing to appear at your required hearing may result in a bench warrant being issued for your arrest by the judge.
Who can help me in Randolph County?
For general information about your case the Randolph 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.
Randolph County Criminal Court
Who is the prosecutor for Randolph County?
Depending upon the case, the prosecutor for Randolph County criminal cases will either be a representative of Randolph County or a representative from Alabama. After reviewing evidence it is the prosecutor’s decision whether to file charges or drop a case. Most prosecutors have the ability to negotiate plea bargains, and determine how the case will be prosecuted.
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.
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.
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.
Randolph County Criminal Court locations
Criminal proceedings take place in the Randolph County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.
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 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.
Burden of Proof
The burden of proof is always on the prosecution in a criminal trial. In other words, the prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime. The defense must only prove that there is a reasonable possibility that the defendant did NOT commit the crime. If the prosecution cannot prove that the defendant committed the crime beyond a reasonable doubt, the jury will be instructed to find the defendant not-guilty.
Jury Deliberations in Randolph County
In Randolph County, jury deliberations will take place in a jury trial after the prosecution and defense have presented their cases and rested. At this point, the judge will provide a list of instructions to the jury about what they are allowed and not allowed to do and what verdict options are available for them to decide. The jury will be sent to a private room to discuss the evidence presented in the case and attempt to reach a unaminous decision. When a unaminous decision is reached, the jury will inform the judge that they have reached a verdict and will return to the courtroom for the verdict to be read allowed. In the event that the jury cannot reach a unanimous verdict, the jury results in a deadlock and a mistrial is declared.
Arraignments in Randolph County
During an arraignment in Randolph County, a defendant appears before the court and the judge reads the charges that have been filed against the accused and also informs the defendant of his/her rights. During the arraignment in Randolph County, the defendant can choose to plead one of the following 1) Guilty 2) Not Guilty or 3) No Contest. If the defendant enters a plea of Not Guilty, a date for trial is set. In the event of a Guilty or No Contest Plea in Randolph County the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.
Randolph County Criminal Court Locations
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Randolph County Circuit Court
Address: 1 Main St S, PO Box 328, Wedowee AL 36278
Phone: 256-357-4551 Fax: 256-357-9012 -
Randolph County District Court
Address: 1 Main St S, PO Box 328, Wedowee AL 36278
Phone: 256-357-4551 Fax: 256-357-9012 -
Roanoke Municipal Court
Address: 809 Main St, PO Box 1270, Roanoke AL 36274
Phone: 334-863-4129 Fax: 334-863-2137 -
Wadley Municipal Court
Address: 265 Highland Cir, PO Box 9, Wadley AL 36276
Phone: 256-395-2261 Fax: 256-395-4411 -
Wedowee Municipal Court
Address: 24 Main St S, PO Box 270, Wedowee AL 36278
Phone: 256-357-2122 Fax: 256-357-2520