Blanco County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Blanco County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Blanco County.
Jury Deliberations in Blanco County
In Blanco 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.
Blanco County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Blanco County will take place at the Blanco County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Blanco County Criminal Court Locations.
Blanco County Criminal Court
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.
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.
Who can help me in Blanco County?
For general information about your case the Blanco 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.
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.
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.
Can I request a Plea Agreement?
In Blanco 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.
Mandatory Appearances in Blanco County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Blanco 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.
Blanco County Arraignments
An arraignment is a court hearing. In Blanco County this is the first thing that will happen in a criminal case. The defendant will be brought before a judge in Blanco 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 Blanco 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.
Prosecutor in Blanco County
In Blanco County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Blanco County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Texas. For the most part, the prosecutor in Blanco County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.
Blanco County Criminal Court Locations
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Blanco County 33rd District Court
Address: PO Box 382, Johnson City TX 78636
Phone: 830-868-0973 Fax: 830-868-2084 -
Blanco County 424th District Court
Address: PO Box 382, Johnson City TX 78636
Phone: 830-868-0973 Fax: 830-868-2084 -
Blanco County Constitutional Court
Address: PO Box 65, Johnson City TX 78636
Phone: 830-868-7357 Fax: 830-868-4158 -
Blanco County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1
Address: PO Box 405, Johnson City TX 78636
Phone: 830-868-4888 Fax: 830-868-4153 -
Blanco County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4
Address: PO Box 596, Blanco TX 78606
Phone: 830-833-4212 Fax: 830-833-2667 -
Blanco Municipal Court
Address: 308 Pecan St, PO Box 750, Blanco TX 78606
Phone: 830-833-4525 -
Johnson City Municipal Court
Address: 303 E Pecan Dr, PO Box 369, Johnson City TX 78636
Phone: 830-868-7111 Fax: 830- 868-7718