Grundy County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Grundy County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Grundy County.
Mandatory Appearances in Grundy County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Grundy 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.
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.
Grundy County Criminal Court
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.
Grundy County Criminal Court locations
Criminal proceedings take place in the Grundy County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.
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.
Prosecutor in Grundy County
In Grundy County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Grundy County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Tennessee. For the most part, the prosecutor in Grundy County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.
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 Grundy County a public defender will be appointed by the judge if you cannot afford private representation.
Arraignments in Grundy County
During an arraignment in Grundy 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 Grundy 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 Grundy County the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.
Who can help me in Grundy County?
For general information about your case the Grundy County court clerk will be able to provide legal information about your specific criminal case. Legal information is not legal advice though, the court clerk will only be able to provide information about your case, like date/time of hearings what will occur at the hearing and what you may be required to do in the hearing. They cannot provide advice about what you should do or what the best legal options may be for your particular case. Only an attorney can provide legal advice and this is your best place for information about your specific criminal proceeding. If you cannot afford to hire a private attorney to represent you, a judge will appoint an attorney to represent you, this is most often a public defender.
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.
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.
Grundy County Criminal Court Locations
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Grundy County Circuit Court
Address: PO Box 161, Altamont, TN 37301
Phone: 931-692-3368 Fax: 931-692-2414 -
Grundy County Chancery Court
Address: PO Box 174, Altamont, TN 37301
Phone: 931-692-3455 -
Grundy County General Sessions Court
Address: PO Box 161, Altamont, TN 37301
Phone: 931-692-3368 Fax: 931-692-2414 -
Grundy County Juvenile Court
Address: PO Box 161, Altamont, TN 37301
Phone: 931-692-3368 Fax: 931-692-244 -
Monteagle City Court
Address: PO Box 127, Monteagle, TN 37356
Phone: 931-924-2077 -
Tracy City Court
Address: 50th Main Street & Highway 41, Tracy City, TN 37387
Phone: 931-592-6213