Anne Arundel County Criminal Court

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

Anne Arundel County Prosecutor

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

Mandatory Appearances in Anne Arundel County Criminal Court

At a mandatory or required court appearance in Anne Arundel 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.

Anne Arundel County Criminal Court

Anne Arundel 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.

Anne Arundel County Criminal Court hearings

Criminal hearings in Anne Arundel County will take place at the Anne Arundel County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Anne Arundel County Criminal Court Locations.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Arraignments in Anne Arundel County

During an arraignment in Anne Arundel 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 Anne Arundel 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 Anne Arundel County the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.

Jury Deliberations in Anne Arundel County

In Anne Arundel 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.

Sentencing in Anne Arundel County

In Anne Arundel 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.

Where can I get help for my Anne Arundel 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 Anne Arundel 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.

Anne Arundel County Criminal Court Locations

  • Anne Arundel County Circuit Court

    Address: 7 Church Circle, PO Box 71, Annapolis MD 21404
    Phone: 410-222-1397

  • Anne Arundel County District Court – Annapolis

    Address: 251 Rowe Blvd, Annapolis MD 21401
    Phone: 410-260-1370

  • Anne Arundel County District Court – Glen Burnie

    Address: 7500 Gov. Ritchie Hwy, Glen Burnie MD 21061
    Phone: 410-260-1800

  • Anne Arundel County Orphans’ Court

    Address: 7 Church Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401
    Phone: 410-222-1430 Fax: 410-222-1467

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