Cleveland County Criminal Court

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

Where can I get help for my Cleveland 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 Cleveland 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.

Arraignments in Cleveland County

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

Cleveland County Criminal Court

Cleveland County Criminal Court

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.

The Right to Counsel

The Fifth and Sixth Amendments to the U.s. Constitution give defendants in criminal cases the right to counsel/attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney one will be appointed to represent you. Like other rights a defendant has, this one can be waived as well and alternatively you can choose to represent yourself.

Sentencing in Cleveland County

In Cleveland 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.

Prosecutor in Cleveland County

In Cleveland County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Cleveland County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Oklahoma. For the most part, the prosecutor in Cleveland County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.

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.

What is Jury Deliberation?

After both the prosecution and defense have presented their cases, the judge in the case will provide instructions to the jury about what they must decide. The jury will be dismissed to the jury room where they will deliberate about the guilt or innocence of the defendant. After reaching a unaminous decision, they return their decision to the court where it is read aloud in the courtroom. If the jury is unable to reach a unaminous decision, the jury is deadlocked, also known as a hung jury, in which a mistrial will be declared.

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.

Where will Cleveland County criminal case hearings take place?

Criminal cases will take place at the criminal courts of Cleveland County. See here for the location of the criminal courts in Cleveland County.

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.

Mandatory Appearances in Cleveland County Criminal Court

At a mandatory or required court appearance in Cleveland 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.

Cleveland County Criminal Court Locations

  • Cleveland County District Court

    Address: 200 South Peters Avenue, Norman, OK 73069
    Phone: 405-321-6402

  • Lexington Municipal Court

    Address: 111 East Broadway, PO Box 1180, Lexington, OK 73051
    Phone: 405-527-6123

  • Moore Municipal Court

    Address: 101 East Main Street, Moore, OK 73160
    Phone: 405-793-5040 Fax: 405-793-5044

  • Noble Municipal Court

    Address: 304 South Main Street, PO Box 557, Noble, OK 73068
    Phone: 405-872-9251 Ext. 2

  • Norman Municipal Court

    Address: 201-B West Gray, PO Box 370, Norman, OK 73070
    Phone: 405-366-5325 Fax: 405-366-5294

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