Clinton County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Clinton County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Clinton County.
Where can I get help for my Clinton 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 Clinton 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.
Jury Deliberation
In a jury trial in Clinton County, after both the prosecution and defense have rested, the judge will give instructions to the jury and jury deliberations will begin. The jury will convence in a private room to discuss and deliberate the innocence or guilt of the defendant. Once the jury arrives at a unimanous decision, they will inform the judge that they have reached a decision. They will return to the court and the verdict will be read aloud. If the jury cannot reach a unaminous decision, the jury is said to be deadlocked and a mistrial will be declared in the case.
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.
Required Court Appearances in Clinton County
Any required court appearances in Clinton 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.
Clinton County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Clinton County will take place at the Clinton County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Clinton County Criminal Court Locations.
Can I request a Plea Agreement?
In Clinton 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.
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.
What happens in Clinton County at an arraignment?
In Clinton 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.
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.
Who is the prosecutor for Clinton County?
Depending upon the case, the prosecutor for Clinton County criminal cases will either be a representative of Clinton County or a representative from Missouri. 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.
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.
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.
Clinton County Criminal Court Locations
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Clinton County Circuit Court
Address: 207 North Main Street, PO Box 275, Plattsburg, MO 64477
Phone: 816-539-3731 Fax: 816-539-3893 -
Cameron Municipal Court
Address: 205 North Main, Cameron, MO 64429
Phone: 816-632-2177 Fax: 816-632-1067 -
Gower Municipal Court
Address: 97 North 4th Street, PO Box 408, Gower, MO 64454
Phone: 816-424-6617 Fax: 816-424-3877 -
Lathrop Municipal Court
Address: 406 Elm Street, PO Box 225, Lathrop, MO 64465
Phone: 816-740-4251 Fax: 815-528-4318 -
Plattsburg Municipal Court
Address: 114 West Maple Street, Plattsburg, MO 64477
Phone: 816-539-2148 -
Trimble Municipal Court
Address: PO Box 25, Trimble, MO 64492
Phone: 816-357-2397 Fax: 816-357-2397