Iron County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Iron County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Iron County.
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.
Iron County Prosecutor
For criminal cases in Iron County, the prosecutor will be a representative of Iron County. The Iron 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.
Iron County Criminal Court
Can I request a Plea Agreement?
In Iron 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.
Mandatory Appearances in Iron County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Iron 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.
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.
Arraignments in Iron County
During an arraignment in Iron 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 Iron 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 Iron County the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.
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.
Iron County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Iron County will take place at the Iron County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Iron County Criminal Court Locations.
Jury Deliberations in Iron County
In Iron 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.
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 Iron County a public defender will be appointed by the judge if you cannot afford private representation.
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 Iron County?
For general information about your case the Iron 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.
Iron County Criminal Court Locations
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Iron County Circuit Court
Address: 250 South Main Street, Suite 220, Ironton, MO 63650
Phone: 573-546-2511 Fax: 573-546-6006 -
Annapolis Municipal Court
Address: 123 North Main, PO Box 436, Ironton, MO 63650
Phone: 573-546-6269 Fax: 573-546-6555 -
Arcadia Municipal Court
Address: 150 West Orchard Street, PO Box 86, Arcadia, MO 63621
Phone: 573-546-7573 Fax: 573-546-3756 -
Ironton Municipal Court
Address: 123 North Main, Ironton, MO 63650
Phone: 573-546-6269 Fax: 573-546-6555 -
Pilot Knob Municipal Court
Address: 250 South Main, PO Box 188, Ironton, MO 63663
Phone: 573-546-2175 Fax: 573-546-2286 -
Viburnum Municipal Court
Address: 1 Missouri Avenue, PO Box 596, Viburnum, MO 65566
Phone: 573-244-5520 Fax: 573-244-5680