Caldwell County Criminal Court

Caldwell County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Caldwell County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Caldwell County.

Where will Caldwell County criminal case hearings take place?

Criminal cases will take place at the criminal courts of Caldwell County. See here for the location of the criminal courts in Caldwell County.

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.

Caldwell County Criminal Court

Caldwell County Criminal Court

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.

Caldwell County Prosecutor

For criminal cases in Caldwell County, the prosecutor will be a representative of Caldwell County. The Caldwell County prosecutor reviews all evidence and ultimately decides whether to file or dismiss charges in the case. Most of the time, the prosecutor has leeway in plea negotiations and determines how the case will be prosecuted.

Arraignments in Caldwell County

During an arraignment in Caldwell 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 Caldwell 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 Caldwell County the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.

Sentencing in Caldwell County

In Caldwell County if the defendant is found guilty (by trial or plea), the defendant will be sentenced. This sometimes occurrs immediately after being found guilty, but can also take place at a later date. In most instances, a judge will impose the sentence that is requested by the prosecution, but they also have the descretion to impose a different sentence.

The Right to Trial by Jury

The Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right to a trial by a jury. This is applicable for when the crime can carry a sentence of 6 months in jail OR a $500 fine, these are known as “Serious Crimes”. The defendant can also waive their right to a speedy and public trial.

Where can I get help for my Caldwell 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 Caldwell 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.

Jury Deliberation

In a jury trial in Caldwell 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.

Required Court Appearances in Caldwell County

Any required court appearances in Caldwell 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.

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.

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.

Caldwell County Criminal Court Locations

  • Caldwell County 22nd District Court

    Address: 201 E San Antonio St, PO Box 749, Lockhart TX 78644
    Phone: 512-398-1806 Fax: 512-398-1805

  • Caldwell County 207th District Court

    Address: 201 E San Antonio St, PO Box 749, Lockhart TX 78644
    Phone: 512-398-1806 Fax: 512-398-1805

  • Caldwell County 421st District Court

    Address: 201 E San Antonio St, PO Box 749, Lockhart TX 78644
    Phone: 512-398-1806 Fax: 512-398-1805

  • Caldwell County Constitutional Court

    Address: 110 S Main St, PO Box 906, Lockhart TX 78644
    Phone: 512-398-1804 Fax: 512-398-9925

  • Caldwell County Court at Law

    Address: 110 S Main St, PO Box 906, Lockhart TX 78644
    Phone: 512-398-1804 Fax: 512-398-9925

  • Caldwell County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1

    Address: 110 S Brazos St, Lockhart TX 78644
    Phone: 512-398-1810 Fax: 512-398-2785

  • Caldwell County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2

    Address: 505 E Fannin St, Luling TX 78648
    Phone: 830-875-5260 Fax: 830-875-6449

  • Caldwell County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3

    Address: 9675 Highway 142, PO Box 145, Maxwell TX 78656
    Phone: 512-357-6729 Fax: 512-357-6833

  • Caldwell County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4

    Address: 405 E Market St, Lockhart TX 78644
    Phone: 512-398-1841 Fax: 512-398-1837

  • Lockhart Municipal Court

    Address: 1914 W San Antonio St, Lockhart TX 78644
    Phone: 512-398-8330 Fax: 512-620-0150

  • Luling Municipal Court

    Address: Physical: 518 E Pierce St, Luling TX 78648
    Phone: 830-875-2115 Fax: 830-875-5791

  • Martindale Municipal Court

    Address: PO Box 365, Martindale TX 78655
    Phone: 512-357-6700 Fax: 512-357-9017

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