Cambria County Criminal Court

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

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.

Can I request a Plea Agreement?

In Cambria County you may be able to enter into a plea agreement depending upon the severity of the charges. It is also dependant upon the prosecution willing to accept a plea agreement. You can ask your attorney to attempt to negotiate a plea agreement with the prosecution to avoid having a jury trial along with the potential for a more serious sentence. Approximately 9 out of 10 criminal cases usually end in a plea agreement.

Cambria County Criminal Court

Cambria County Criminal Court

I need help for my Cambria 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 Cambria 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 Cambria 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.

Cambria County Criminal Court locations

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

Prosecutor in Cambria County

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

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.

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.

Arraignments in Cambria County

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

Cambria County Required Court Appearances

In Cambria County, there are both required and non-required court appearances for the defendant. At a required or mandatory appearance hearing, the defendant is required to appear in person before the court. Failing to appear at your required hearing may result in a bench warrant being issued for your arrest by the judge.

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.

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.

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.

Cambria County Criminal Court Locations

  • Cambria County Court of Common Pleas – Clerk of Courts (Criminal)

    Address: 201 S Center St, Ebensburg PA 15931
    Phone: 814-472-1540 Fax: 814-472-0761

  • Cambria County Court of Common Pleas – Prothonotary (Civil)

    Address: 200 S Center St, Ebensburg PA 15931
    Phone: 814-472-1638 Fax: 814-472-5632

  • Cambria County Orphans’ Court

    Address: 200 S Center St, Ebensburg PA 15931
    Phone: 814-472-1440 Fax: 814-472-0762

  • Cambria County Magisterial District Court 47-1-01

    Address: 110 Franklin St, Johnstown PA 15901
    Phone: 814-539-9982 Fax: 814-539-2651

  • Cambria County Magisterial District Court 47-1-02

    Address: 701 Belmont St, Johnstown PA 15905
    Phone: 814-266-1066 Fax: 814-266-1088

  • Cambria County Magisterial District Court 47-1-03

    Address: 1340 Franklin St, Johnstown PA 15905
    Phone: 814-539-7791 Fax: 814-536-3164

  • Cambria County Magisterial District Court 47-3-01

    Address: 200 Adams Ave, #2, Mineral Point PA 15942
    Phone: 814-322-1527 Fax: 814-322-1100

  • Cambria County Magisterial District Court 47-3-03

    Address: 730 Portage Rd, PO Box 211, Cresson PA 16630
    Phone: 814-886-8879 Fax: 814-886-8478

  • Cambria County Magisterial District Court 47-3-05

    Address: 207 Fifth Ave, #3, PO Box 481, Hastings PA 16646
    Phone: 814-247-6588 Fax: 814-247-6644

  • Cambria County Magisterial District Court 47-3-06

    Address: 112 Mary Dr, PO Box 35, Sidman PA 15955
    Phone: 814-487-5111 Fax: 814-487-7327

  • Cambria County Magisterial District Court 47-3-07

    Address: 401 Candlelight Dr, #120, Ebensburg PA 15931
    Phone: 814-472-6661 Fax: 814-472-1278

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.