New Madrid County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in New Madrid County. See below for more information about criminal cases in New Madrid County.
I need help for my New Madrid County criminal case
The best place to get information about your criminal case is from an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, the court will appoint one to represent you which will assist in your case. For general information about your case the New Madrid County court clerk is able to provide general information about your specific case (e.g. date/time hearings, mandatory appearance, what will take place and what you will be required to do). The court clerk for New Madrid County will NOT be able to provide legal advice for your case, only an attorney can provide legal advice. The court clerk can provide legal information (like the information found on this website) about your case but cannot provide advice about what you should do in your legal manner.
New Madrid County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in New Madrid County will take place at the New Madrid County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the New Madrid County Criminal Court Locations.
New Madrid County Criminal Court
The Right to Trial by Jury
The Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right to a trial by a jury. This is applicable for when the crime can carry a sentence of 6 months in jail OR a $500 fine, these are known as “Serious Crimes”. The defendant can also waive their right to a speedy and public trial.
Can I appeal a guilty verdict?
If found guilty, a defendant may decide to appeal his case to an appelate court. The appellate court will not retry the case, they will examine the proceedings in the lower court to make sure they were done in a legal manner. The appellate court can either uphold the original conviction, or determine that due to errors made in the original trial, that there must be a retrial, resentencing or a complete dismissal of the charges.
Mandatory Appearances in New Madrid County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in New Madrid 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.
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 New Madrid County a public defender will be appointed by the judge if you cannot afford private representation.
What happens in New Madrid County at an arraignment?
In New Madrid 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.
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.
New Madrid County Prosecutor
For criminal cases in New Madrid County, the prosecutor will be a representative of New Madrid County. The New Madrid 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.
Jury Deliberations in New Madrid County
In New Madrid 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.
Burden of Proof
The burden of proof is always on the prosecution in a criminal trial. In other words, the prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime. The defense must only prove that there is a reasonable possibility that the defendant did NOT commit the crime. If the prosecution cannot prove that the defendant committed the crime beyond a reasonable doubt, the jury will be instructed to find the defendant not-guilty.
New Madrid County Criminal Court Locations
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New Madrid County Circuit Court
Address: 450 Main Street, New Madrid, MO 63869
Phone: 573-748-2228 Fax: 573-748-5409 -
Canalou Municipal Court
Address: 110 East Madison, PO Box 221, Canalou, MO 63828
Phone: 573-667-9840 Fax: 573-667-9804 -
Gideon Municipal Court
Address: 109 Main Street, PO Box 396, Gideon, MO 63848
Phone: 573-448-3500 Fax: 573-448-3122 -
Howardville Municipal Court
Address: 105 Howard Avenue, Howardville, MO 63869
Phone: 573-688-2774 Fax: 573-688-5445 -
Lilbourn Municipal Court
Address: PO Box 69, Lilbourn, MO 63862
Phone: 573-688-2584 Fax: 573-688-2193 -
Marston Municipal Court
Address: PO Box F, Marston, MO 63866
Phone: 573-643-2416 Fax: 573-643-9032 -
Matthews Municipal Court
Address: 100 Main Street, PO Box 54, Matthews, MO 63867
Phone: 573-471-2541 Fax: 573-481-0038 -
Morehouse Municipal Court
Address: 506 B East Beech, PO Box 53, Morehouse, MO 63868
Phone: 573-667-5251 Fax: 573-667-9035 -
New Madrid Municipal Court
Address: 537 A Mott Street, City Hall Annex, New Madrid, MO 63869
Phone: 573-748-5901 Fax: 573-748-2019 -
Parma Municipal Court
Address: 209 South Broad Street, PO Box 668, Parma, MO 63870
Phone: 573-357-4375 Fax: 573-357-4375 -
Portageville Municipal Court
Address: 301 East Main Street, Drawer B, Portageville, MO 63873
Phone: 573-379-5500 Fax: 573-379-5802 -
Risco Municipal Court
Address: 201 Front Street, PO Box 328, Risco, MO 63874
Phone: 573-396-5650 Fax: 573-396-5650 -
Tallapoosa Municipal Court
Address: PO Box 166, Tallapoosa, MO 63878
Phone: 573-396-5305