Orangeburg County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Orangeburg County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Orangeburg County.
Required Court Appearances in Orangeburg County
Any required court appearances in Orangeburg County Criminal Court must be attended by the defendant. Failure to appear in court at your required date and time may result in the judge issuing an arrest warrant.
Orangeburg County Criminal Court locations
Criminal proceedings take place in the Orangeburg County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.
Orangeburg County Criminal Court
Jury Deliberation
In a jury trial in Orangeburg County, after both the prosecution and defense have rested, the judge will give instructions to the jury and jury deliberations will begin. The jury will convence in a private room to discuss and deliberate the innocence or guilt of the defendant. Once the jury arrives at a unimanous decision, they will inform the judge that they have reached a decision. They will return to the court and the verdict will be read aloud. If the jury cannot reach a unaminous decision, the jury is said to be deadlocked and a mistrial will be declared in the case.
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 Orangeburg 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.
Who is the prosecutor for Orangeburg County?
Depending upon the case, the prosecutor for Orangeburg County criminal cases will either be a representative of Orangeburg County or a representative from South Carolina. 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.
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.
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.
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.
What happens in Orangeburg County at an arraignment?
In Orangeburg 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.
I need help for my Orangeburg 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 Orangeburg 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 Orangeburg 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.
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.
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.
Orangeburg County Criminal Court Locations
-
Orangeburg County Circuit Court
Address: 151 Docket Street, PO Box 9000, Orangeburg, SC 29116
Phone: 803-533-6260 Fax: 803-534-3848 -
Orangeburg County Magistrate Court – Central Region
Address: 1540 Ellis Avenue, PO Box 9000, Orangeburg, SC 29116
Phone: 803-533-5848 (Traffic) Fax: 803-533-6047 -
Orangeburg County Magistrate Court – Eastern Region
Address: 8423 Old State Road, PO Box 154, Holly Hill, SC 29059
Phone: 803-496-9533 Fax: 803-496-5661 -
Orangeburg County Magistrate Court – Western Region
Address: 6357 Savannah Highway, PO Box 387, Neeses, SC 29107
Phone: 803-247-2011 Fax: 803-247-2058 -
Bowman Municipal Court
Address: 421 Moss Street, PO Box 37, Bowman, SC 29018
Phone: 803-829-2666 Fax: 803-829-3159 -
Branchville Municipal Court
Address: 7644 Freedom Road, PO Box 85, Branchville, SC 29432
Phone: 803-274-8000 Fax: 803-274-8760 -
Elloree Municipal Court
Address: 2719 Cleveland Street, PO Box 28, Elloree, SC 29047
Phone: 803-897-2821 Fax: 803-897-3315 -
Eutawville Municipal Court
Address: 220 Porcher Avenue, PO Box 372, Eutawville, SC 29048
Phone: 803-492-7064 Fax: 803-492-9443 -
Holly Hill Municipal Court
Address: 8423 Old State Road, Suite 1, Holly Hill, SC 29059
Phone: 803-496-3330 Fax: 803-496-5211 -
North Municipal Court
Address: 9305 North Road, PO Box 399, North, SC 29112
Phone: 803-247-2101 Fax: 803-247-3045 -
Norway Municipal Court
Address: 8438 Savannah Highway, PO Box 127, Norway, SC 29113
Phone: 803-263-4300 Fax: 803-263-4114 -
Orangeburg Municipal Court
Address: 1320 Middleton Street, Orangeburg, SC 29115
Phone: 803-533-5921 Fax: 803-533-6216 -
Rowesville Municipal Court
Address: 129 Rowes Pump Drive, PO Box 95, Rowesville, SC 29133
Phone: 803-534-2745 Fax: 803-534-2745 -
Santee Municipal Court
Address: 194 Brooks Blvd, PO Box 757, Santee, SC 29142
Phone: 803-854-2438 Fax: 803-854-4100 -
Springfield Municipal Court
Address: 1505 Georgia Street, PO Box 31, Springfield, SC 29146
Phone: 803-258-3152 Fax: 803-258-3526