McPherson County Criminal Court

McPherson County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in McPherson County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in McPherson County.

Jury Deliberations in McPherson County

In McPherson 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.

Mandatory Appearances in McPherson County Criminal Court

At a mandatory or required court appearance in McPherson 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.

McPherson County Criminal Court

McPherson County Criminal Court

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.

Where can I get help for my McPherson 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 McPherson 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.

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.

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.

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.

McPherson County Arraignments

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

McPherson County Prosecutor

For criminal cases in McPherson County, the prosecutor will be a representative of McPherson County. The McPherson 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.

McPherson County Criminal Court locations

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

Can I request a Plea Agreement?

In McPherson 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.

McPherson County Criminal Court Locations

  • McPherson County District Court

    Address: 117 North Maple, PO Box 1106, McPherson, KS 67460
    Phone: 620-241-3422 Fax: 620-241-1372

  • Canton Municipal Court

    Address: 100 South Main Street, PO Box 476, Canton, KS 67428
    Phone: 620-628-4916 Fax: 620-628-7943

  • Galva Municipal Court

    Address: 208 South Main Street, PO Box 223, Galva, KS 67443
    Phone: 620-654-3561 Fax: 620-654-3663

  • Inman Municipal Court

    Address: 104 North Main, PO Box 177, Inman, KS 67546
    Phone: 620-585-2122 Fax: 620-585-2767

  • Lindsborg Municipal Court

    Address: 121 South Main, PO Box 70, Lindsborg. KS 67456
    Phone: 785-227-3355 Fax: 785-227-4128

  • Marquette Municipal Court

    Address: 113 North Washington, PO Box 401, Marquette KS 67464
    Phone: 785-546-2205

  • McPherson Municipal Court

    Address: 113 North Ash Street, McPherson, KS 67460
    Phone: 620-245-2507 Fax: 620-245-2503

  • Moundridge Municipal Court

    Address: 225 South Christian Avenue, Moundridge, KS 67107
    Phone: 620-345-8246 Fax: 620-345-2877

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