Texas County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Texas County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Texas County.
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.
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.
Texas County Criminal Court
Where can I get help for my Texas 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 Texas 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.
Texas County Criminal Court locations
Criminal proceedings take place in the Texas County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.
Mandatory Appearances in Texas County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Texas 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.
What is the Burden of Proof?
The term “Burden of Proof” means that the prosecutor is required to prove the guilt of the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt. If the prosecutor cannot provide proof of the defendants guilt, then the judge or jury in a trial must find the defendant not guilty. In the United States the principle innocent until proven guilty derives from this that the defendant is assumed innocent and the prosecution has the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty.
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.
Who is the prosecutor for Texas County?
Depending upon the case, the prosecutor for Texas County criminal cases will either be a representative of Texas County or a representative from Oklahoma. 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.
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.
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 happens in Texas County at an arraignment?
In Texas 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.
Texas County Criminal Court Locations
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Texas County District Court
Address: 319 North Main Street, PO Box 1081, Guymon, OK 73942
Phone: 580-338-3003 Fax: 580-338-3819 -
Goodwell Municipal Court
Address: 104 South Main Street, Goodwell, OK 73939
Phone: 580-349-2566 Fax: 580-349-2983 -
Guymon Municipal Court
Address: 219 NW 4th Street, Guymon, OK 73942
Phone: 580-338-3501 Fax: 580-338-8590 -
Hardesty Municipal Court
Address: 109 Broadway Street, Hardesty, OK 73944
Phone: 580-888-4568 -
Hooker Municipal Court
Address: 111 South Broadway, PO Box 67, Hooker, OK 73945
Phone: 580-652-2885 -
Texhoma Municipal Court
Address: 201 South 2nd Street, Texhoma, OK 73949
Phone: 580-423-7456 -
Tyrone Municipal Court
Address: 102 Main Street, Tyrone, OK 73951
Phone: 580-854-6873