Venango County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Venango County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Venango County.
Where can I get help for my Venango 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 Venango 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.
Venango County Arraignments
An arraignment is a court hearing. In Venango County this is the first thing that will happen in a criminal case. The defendant will be brought before a judge in Venango 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 Venango 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.
Venango County Criminal Court
Venango County Criminal Court locations
Criminal proceedings take place in the Venango County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.
Jury Deliberations in Venango County
In Venango 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.
Venango County Required Court Appearances
In Venango 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.
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.
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.
Defendant Sentencing
At a sentence hearing the judge will inform the defendant of the sentence that will be imposed. This sometimes occurs at the same hearing in which the defendant is found guilty (either by trial or plea agreement). In can also occur at a later date, most often this is due to the complexity of the case where more time is needed to determine the appropriate sentence.
Jury by Trial Right
The US Constitution (Article 3 along with the 6th Amendment) ensures an accused defendant the right to a jury trial. This applies to crimes that have a $500 fine or a potential sentence of six months in jail (aka Serious Crimes). This right to trial by jury can also be waived by a defendant.
Can I request a Plea Agreement?
In Venango 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.
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.
Prosecutor in Venango County
In Venango County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Venango County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Pennsylvania. For the most part, the prosecutor in Venango County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.
Venango County Criminal Court Locations
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Venango County Court of Common Pleas
Address: 1168 Liberty St, Franklin PA 16323
Phone: 814-432-9577 Fax: 814-432-9579 -
Venango County Orphans’ Court
Address: 1168 Liberty St, Franklin PA 16323
Phone: 814-432-9539 Fax: 814-432-9569 -
Venango County Magisterial District Court 28-3-01
Address: 140 W State St, PO Box 186, Pleasantville PA 16341
Phone: 814-589-7813 Fax: 814-589-7040 -
Venango County Magisterial District Court 28-3-02
Address: 3156 State Route 257, PO Box 553, Seneca PA 16346
Phone: 814-676-5421 Fax: 814-677-4873 -
Venango County Magisterial District Court 28-3-03
Address: 217 Thirteenth St, Franklin PA 16323
Phone: 814-432-3621 Fax: 814-432-7963 -
Venango County Magisterial District Court 28-3-04
Address: 607 Myrtle St, PO Box 456, Emlenton PA 16373
Phone: 724-867-2362 Fax: 724-867-1464