Deschutes County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Deschutes County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Deschutes County.
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.
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.
Deschutes County Criminal Court
Mandatory Appearances in Deschutes County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Deschutes 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.
Deschutes County Arraignments
An arraignment is a court hearing. In Deschutes County this is the first thing that will happen in a criminal case. The defendant will be brought before a judge in Deschutes County Criminal Court and the judge will read the charges that were filed against the defendant. The judge will also read the rights the defendant has and ask the defendant if they understand both the charges filed against them and their rights as a defendant in the case. In Deschutes County a plea of Guilty, Not Guilty or No Contest may be entered. In a guilty or no contest plea the sentencing of the defendant may take place at the same arraignment hearing or a later date may be scheduled for sentencing. For a not guilty plea, a date will be set for a trial.
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.
Deschutes County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Deschutes County will take place at the Deschutes County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Deschutes County Criminal Court Locations.
Prosecutor in Deschutes County
In Deschutes County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Deschutes County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Oregon. For the most part, the prosecutor in Deschutes County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.
Where can I get help for my Deschutes 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 Deschutes 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.
Jury Deliberations in Deschutes County
In Deschutes 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.
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.
Sentencing in Deschutes County
In Deschutes 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.
Deschutes County Criminal Court Locations
-
Deschutes County Circuit Court
Address: 1100 NW Bond Street, Bend, OR 97701
Phone: 541-388-5300 -
Deschutes County Juvenile Court
Address: 63360 Britta Street, Building 1, Bend, OR 97701
Phone: 541-388-6671 Fax: 541-383-0165 -
Bend Municipal Court
Address: 555 NE 15th Street, Bend, OR 97701
Phone: 541-388-5572 -
Deschutes County Justice Court
Address: 2444 SW Glacier Place, PO Box 1750, Redmond, WA 97756
Phone: 541-617-4758