Greene County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Greene County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Greene County.
Right to an attorney
The US Constitution’s Sixth Amendment ensures the right to an attorney regardless of whether or not you can afford one. In Greene County a public defender will be appointed by the judge if you cannot afford private representation.
Where can I get help for my Greene 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 Greene 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.
Greene County Criminal Court
Required Court Appearances in Greene County
Any required court appearances in Greene 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.
Greene County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Greene County will take place at the Greene County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Greene County Criminal Court Locations.
Prosecutor in Greene County
In Greene County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Greene County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Tennessee. For the most part, the prosecutor in Greene County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.
Jury Deliberation
In a jury trial in Greene 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.
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.
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.
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.
Greene County Arraignments
An arraignment is a court hearing. In Greene County this is the first thing that will happen in a criminal case. The defendant will be brought before a judge in Greene 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 Greene 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.
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.
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.
Greene County Criminal Court Locations
-
Greene County Circuit Court
Address: 101 South Main Street, Suite 302, Greeneville, TN 37743
Phone: 423-798-1760 Fax: 423-798-1763 -
Greene County Chancery Court
Address: 101 South Main Street, PO Box 263, Greeneville, TN 37744
Phone: 423-798-1742 Fax: 423-798-1743 -
Greene County General Sessions Court
Address: 101 South Main Street, Suite 302, Greeneville, TN 37743
Phone: 423-798-1760 Fax: 423-798-1763 -
Greene County Juvenile Court
Address: 101 South Main Street, Suite 302, Greeneville, TN 37743
Phone: 423-798-1760 Fax: 423-798-1763 -
Baileyton City Court
Address: 6530 Horton Highway, Baileyton, TN 37745
Phone: 423-234-6911 -
Greeneville City Court
Address: 200 North College Street, Greeneville, TN 37745
Phone: 423-639-7111 -
Tusculum City Court
Address: 145 Alexander Street, PO Box 5014, Greeneville, TN 37743
Phone: 423-638-6211