Deaf Smith County Criminal Court

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

Who is the prosecutor for Deaf Smith County?

Depending upon the case, the prosecutor for Deaf Smith County criminal cases will either be a representative of Deaf Smith County or a representative from Texas. After reviewing evidence it is the prosecutor’s decision whether to file charges or drop a case. Most prosecutors have the ability to negotiate plea bargains, and determine how the case will be prosecuted.

Mandatory Appearances in Deaf Smith County Criminal Court

At a mandatory or required court appearance in Deaf Smith 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.

Deaf Smith County Criminal Court

Deaf Smith County Criminal Court

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.

Deaf Smith County Arraignments

An arraignment is a court hearing. In Deaf Smith County this is the first thing that will happen in a criminal case. The defendant will be brought before a judge in Deaf Smith 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 Deaf Smith 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.

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.

Can I request a Plea Agreement?

In Deaf Smith 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.

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.

Deaf Smith County Criminal Court hearings

Criminal hearings in Deaf Smith County will take place at the Deaf Smith County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Deaf Smith County Criminal Court Locations.

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.

Where can I get help for my Deaf Smith 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 Deaf Smith 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.

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.

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.

Deaf Smith County Criminal Court Locations

  • Deaf Smith 222nd District Court

    Address: 235 E 3rd St, #304, Hereford TX 79045
    Phone: 806-364-3901 Fax: 806-363-7007

  • Deaf Smith County Constitutional Court

    Address: 235 E 3rd St, #203, Hereford TX 79045
    Phone: 806-363-7077 Fax: 806-363-7023

  • Deaf Smith County Justice of the Peace

    Address: 235 E 3rd St, #100, Hereford TX 79045
    Phone: 806-364-0999

  • Hereford Municipal Court

    Address: 212 Lee Ave, PO Box 2277, Hereford TX 79045
    Phone: 806-363-7127

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