St. Lucie County Criminal Court

St. Lucie County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in St. Lucie County. See below for more information about criminal cases in St. Lucie County.

Jury Deliberations in St. Lucie County

In St. Lucie 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.

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.

St. Lucie County Criminal Court

St. Lucie County Criminal Court

Required Court Appearances in St. Lucie County

Any required court appearances in St. Lucie County Criminal Court must be attended by the defendant. Failure to appear in court at your required date and time may result in the judge issuing an arrest warrant.

St. Lucie County Criminal Court locations

Criminal proceedings take place in the St. Lucie County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.

St. Lucie County Arraignments

An arraignment is a court hearing. In St. Lucie County this is the first thing that will happen in a criminal case. The defendant will be brought before a judge in St. Lucie 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 St. Lucie 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.

Who is the prosecutor for St. Lucie County?

Depending upon the case, the prosecutor for St. Lucie County criminal cases will either be a representative of St. Lucie County or a representative from Florida. 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.

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.

If guilty, who sentences the defendant?

If the defendant is found guilty after the trial, the defendent will be sentenced. In some cases, this can occur at the same hearing the defendant is found guilty in court, in other cases a separate hearing will be required. Often the prosecution will request a particular sentence for the defendant and the judge will determine whether to enforce this sentence or impose a different sentence for the defendant.

Right to Jury Trial

For “Serious Crimes”, those that can have a potential penalty of 6 months in jail OR a minimum $500 penalty, the US Constitution guarantees a right to trial by jury. This is guaranteed by Article III of the Constitution and the 6th Amendment. The accused has the ability to waive their right to trial by jury.

Who can help me in St. Lucie County?

For general information about your case the St. Lucie 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.

Can I request a Plea Agreement?

In St. Lucie County you may be able to enter into a plea agreement depending upon the severity of the charges. It is also dependant upon the prosecution willing to accept a plea agreement. You can ask your attorney to attempt to negotiate a plea agreement with the prosecution to avoid having a jury trial along with the potential for a more serious sentence. Approximately 9 out of 10 criminal cases usually end in a plea agreement.

Appealing a guilty verdict

A defendant may appeal a guilty verdict to an appellate court. This is not a request to have another trial, but a request for an appellate court to review the case and determine that it was handled in a correct legal manner. There are a number of outcomes in an appeal including an upholding of the conviction, a finding that errors were made resulting in a retrial or resentencing or possibly a complete disimissal of all charges.

St. Lucie County Criminal Court Locations

  • St. Lucie County Circuit Court

    Address: 201 South Indian River Drive, PO Box 700, Ft. Pierce, FL 34954
    Phone: 772-462-6900

  • St. Lucie County Circuit Court

    Address: 218 South 2nd Street, Ft. Pierce, FL 34950
    Phone: 772-462-6900

  • County Court of St. Lucie County

    Address: 218 South 2nd Street, Ft. Pierce, FL 34950
    Phone: 772-462-6900

  • County Court of St. Lucie County

    Address: 250 NW Country Club Drive, Port St. Lucie, FL 34986
    Phone: 772-462-6900

  • County Court of St. Lucie County

    Address: 201 South Indian River Drive, PO Box 700, Ft. Pierce, FL 34954
    Phone: 772-462-6900

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