Crosby County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Crosby County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Crosby 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 Crosby County a public defender will be appointed by the judge if you cannot afford private representation.
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.
Crosby County Criminal Court
Sentencing in Crosby County
In Crosby 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.
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.
Who can help me in Crosby County?
For general information about your case the Crosby 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.
Jury Deliberations in Crosby County
In Crosby 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.
Crosby County Arraignments
An arraignment is a court hearing. In Crosby County this is the first thing that will happen in a criminal case. The defendant will be brought before a judge in Crosby 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 Crosby 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 Crosby County
In Crosby County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Crosby County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Texas. For the most part, the prosecutor in Crosby County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.
Crosby County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Crosby County will take place at the Crosby County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Crosby County Criminal Court Locations.
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.
Mandatory Appearances in Crosby County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Crosby 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.
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.
Crosby County Criminal Court Locations
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Crosby County 72nd District Court
Address: 201 W Aspen St, #207, Crosbyton TX 79322
Phone: 806-675-2071 Fax: 806-675-2433 -
Crosby County Constitutional Court
Address: 201 W Aspen St, #102, Crosbyton TX 79322
Phone: 806-675-2334 Fax: 806-675-2980 -
Crosby County Justice of the Peace
Address: 201 W Aspen St, #400, Crosbyton TX 79322
Phone: 806-675-2523 Fax: 806-675-2804 -
Crosbyton Municipal Court
Address: 221 W Main St, Crosbyton TX 79322
Phone: 806-675-2301 -
Lorenzo Municipal Court
Address: PO Box 430, Lorenzo, TX 79343
Phone: 806-634-5596 -
Ralls Municipal Court
Address: 800 Avenue I, Ralls, TX 79357
Phone: 806-253-2558