Stanislaus County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Stanislaus County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Stanislaus County.
Right to an attorney
The US Constitution’s Sixth Amendment ensures the right to an attorney regardless of whether or not you can afford one. In Stanislaus County a public defender will be appointed by the judge if you cannot afford private representation.
Prosecutor in Stanislaus County
In Stanislaus County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Stanislaus County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent California. For the most part, the prosecutor in Stanislaus County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.
Stanislaus County Criminal Court
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.
Jury Deliberations in Stanislaus County
In Stanislaus 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.
The Right to Trial by Jury
The Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right to a trial by a jury. This is applicable for when the crime can carry a sentence of 6 months in jail OR a $500 fine, these are known as “Serious Crimes”. The defendant can also waive their right to a speedy and public trial.
Where can I get help for my Stanislaus County criminal case?
The 6th amendment of the United States Constitution provides a criminal defendant with the right to an attorney. As read in the miranda rights, this means that if a defendant cannot afford to hire a private attorney a legal attorney will be appointed to the defendant to represent him at no cost to the defendant. This is often a public defender. In addition, the court clerk for Stanislaus County will also be able to provide general information about a specific criminal case. The clerk can only provide information and is not an attorney so they cannot provide legal advice, only a licensed attorney can provide legal advice about what the best options for are for your particular case.
Stanislaus County Criminal Court locations
Criminal proceedings take place in the Stanislaus County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.
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.
Arraignments in Stanislaus County
During an arraignment in Stanislaus 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 Stanislaus 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 Stanislaus County the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.
Mandatory Appearances in Stanislaus County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Stanislaus 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.
Sentencing in Stanislaus County
In Stanislaus County if the defendant is found guilty (by trial or plea), the defendant will be sentenced. This sometimes occurrs immediately after being found guilty, but can also take place at a later date. In most instances, a judge will impose the sentence that is requested by the prosecution, but they also have the descretion to impose a different sentence.
Stanislaus County Criminal Court Locations
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Stanislaus County Superior Court – Ceres
Address: 2744 2nd Street, Ceres CA 95307
Phone: 209-530-3100 -
Stanislaus County Superior Court – City Towers
Address: 801 10th Street, Modesto CA 95354
Phone: 209-530-3100 -
Stanislaus County Superior Court – Family Law
Address: 1100 I Street, Modesto CA 95354
Phone: 209-530-3100 -
Stanislaus County Superior Court – IV-D
Address: 801 11th Street, Modesto CA 95354
Phone: 209-530-3100 -
Stanislaus County Superior Court – Juvenile Court
Address: 2215 Blue Gum Avenue, Modesto CA 95358
Phone: 209-530-3100 -
Stanislaus County Superior Court – Modesto Central
Address: 800 11th Street, Modesto CA 95354
Phone: 209-530-3100 -
Stanislaus County Superior Court – Traffic Division
Address: 2260 Floyd Avenue, Modesto CA 95355
Phone: 209-530-3100