Tippecanoe County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Tippecanoe County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Tippecanoe County.
What happens in Tippecanoe County at an arraignment?
In Tippecanoe County the defendant is brought into court and informed by the judge of the charges that have been filed against them along with informing them of their rights. At this time, the defendant can plead guilty, not guilty or no contest. If the defendant pleads guilty or no contest, there will be no trial and the defendant may be sentenced immediately or at a later date. If the defendant pleads not guilty a trial date is set.
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.
Tippecanoe County Criminal Court
Required Court Appearances in Tippecanoe County
Any required court appearances in Tippecanoe 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.
Who can help me in Tippecanoe County?
For general information about your case the Tippecanoe 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.
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 Tippecanoe County a public defender will be appointed by the judge if you cannot afford private representation.
Appealing a Criminal Conviciton
A defendant may appeal a criminal conviction to an appellate court. In an appeal, the actual trial is not redone, but the appellate court hears arguments that the criminal case was not handled in a legal manner at the original criminal court. The appellate court can either uphold the conviction, or determine that errors were made and may request a retrial, a resentencing of the defendant or that the charges be dismissed.
Tippecanoe County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Tippecanoe County will take place at the Tippecanoe County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Tippecanoe County Criminal Court Locations.
What is the Burden of Proof?
The term “Burden of Proof” means that the prosecutor is required to prove the guilt of the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt. If the prosecutor cannot provide proof of the defendants guilt, then the judge or jury in a trial must find the defendant not guilty. In the United States the principle innocent until proven guilty derives from this that the defendant is assumed innocent and the prosecution has the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty.
Prosecutor in Tippecanoe County
In Tippecanoe County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Tippecanoe County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Indiana. For the most part, the prosecutor in Tippecanoe County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.
Jury Deliberations in Tippecanoe County
In Tippecanoe 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.
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.
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.
Tippecanoe County Criminal Court Locations
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Tippecanoe County Circuit Court
Address: 301 Main St, PO Box 1665, Lafayette IN 47902
Phone: 765-423-9326 Fax: 765-423-9194 -
Tippecanoe County Superior Court No. 1
Address: 301 Main St, PO Box 1665, Lafayette IN 47902
Phone: 765-423-9326 Fax: 765-423-9194 -
Tippecanoe County Superior Court No. 2
Address: 301 Main St, PO Box 1665, Lafayette IN 47902
Phone: 765-423-9326 Fax: 765-423-9194 -
Tippecanoe County Superior Court No. 3
Address: 301 Main St, PO Box 1665, Lafayette IN 47902
Phone: 765-423-9326 Fax: 765-423-9194 -
Tippecanoe County Superior Court No. 4
Address: 301 Main St, PO Box 1665, Lafayette IN 47902
Phone: 765-423-9326 Fax: 765-423-9194 -
Tippecanoe County Superior Court No. 5
Address: 301 Main St, PO Box 1665, Lafayette IN 47902
Phone: 765-423-9326 Fax: 765-423-9194 -
Tippecanoe County Superior Court No. 6
Address: 301 Main St, PO Box 1665, Lafayette IN 47902
Phone: 765-423-9326 Fax: 765-423-9194 -
West Lafayette City Court
Address: 609 W Navajo St, West Lafayette IN 47906
Phone: 765-775-5155 Fax: 765-775-5159