McClain County Criminal Court

McClain County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in McClain County. See below for more information about criminal cases in McClain County.

Plea Agreements

A Plea Agreement, sometimes known as a Plea Bargain is an agreement between the prosecution and the defendant, where the defendant pleads guilty or no contest often in exchange for a lesser charge or lighter recommended sentence. A large majority of criminal cases end in a plea agreement. In McClain County you can inform your attorney to negotiate with the prosecution to attempt to come to a plea agreement, but this is dependent upon the charge severity and also the prosecutors willingness to accept a plea deal.

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.

McClain County Criminal Court

McClain County Criminal Court

McClain County Criminal Court locations

Criminal proceedings take place in the McClain County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.

Jury Deliberations in McClain County

In McClain 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.

McClain County Prosecutor

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

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.

Where can I get help for my McClain 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 McClain 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.

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.

Mandatory Appearances in McClain County Criminal Court

At a mandatory or required court appearance in McClain 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 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.

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.

Arraignments in McClain County

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

McClain County Criminal Court Locations

  • McClain County District Court

    Address: 121 North 2nd Street, Suite 231, Purcell, OK 73080
    Phone: 405-527-3221 Fax: 405-527-1856

  • Blanchard Municipal Court

    Address: 122 North Main, PO Box 480, Blanchard, OK 73010
    Phone: 405-485-9392

  • Dibble Municipal Court

    Address: 12203 Firemans Road, PO Box 57, Dibble, OK 73031
    Phone: 405-344-6659

  • Goldsby Municipal Court

    Address: 100 East Center Road, Goldsby, OK 73093
    Phone: 405-288-6675

  • Newcastle Municipal Court

    Address: 120 NE 2nd Street, Newcastle, OK 73065
    Phone: 405-387-4427

  • Purcell Municipal Court

    Address: 230 West Main Street, Purcell, OK 73080
    Phone: 405-527-4616

  • Washington Municipal Court

    Address: 204 North Main Avenue, PO Box 127, Washington, OK 73093
    Phone: 405-288-2578

  • Wayne Municipal Court

    Address: 17 North Shannon Street, Wayne, OK 73095
    Phone: 405-449-3451

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