Fort Bend County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Fort Bend County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Fort Bend County.
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.
Fort Bend County Criminal Court locations
Criminal proceedings take place in the Fort Bend County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.
Fort Bend County Criminal Court
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 Fort Bend County a public defender will be appointed by the judge if you cannot afford private representation.
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.
I need help for my Fort Bend County criminal case
The best place to get information about your criminal case is from an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, the court will appoint one to represent you which will assist in your case. For general information about your case the Fort Bend County court clerk is able to provide general information about your specific case (e.g. date/time hearings, mandatory appearance, what will take place and what you will be required to do). The court clerk for Fort Bend County will NOT be able to provide legal advice for your case, only an attorney can provide legal advice. The court clerk can provide legal information (like the information found on this website) about your case but cannot provide advice about what you should do in your legal manner.
Can I request a Plea Agreement?
In Fort Bend 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.
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.
Arraignments in Fort Bend County
During an arraignment in Fort Bend 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 Fort Bend 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 Fort Bend County the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.
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 Fort Bend County
In Fort Bend County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Fort Bend County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Texas. For the most part, the prosecutor in Fort Bend County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.
Sentencing in Fort Bend County
In Fort Bend 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.
Required Court Appearances in Fort Bend County
Any required court appearances in Fort Bend 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.
Fort Bend County Criminal Court Locations
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Fort Bend County 240th District Court
Address: Physical: 1422 Eugene Heimann Circle, Richmond TX 77469
Phone: 281-341-4515 Fax: 281-341-4519 -
Fort Bend County 268th District Court
Address: Physical: 1422 Eugene Heimann Circle, Richmond TX 77469
Phone: 281-341-4515 Fax: 281-341-4519 -
Fort Bend County 328th District Court
Address: Physical: 1422 Eugene Heimann Circle, Richmond TX 77469
Phone: 281-341-4515 Fax: 281-341-4519 -
Fort Bend County 387th District Court
Address: Physical: 1422 Eugene Heimann Circle, Richmond TX 77469
Phone: 281-341-4515 Fax: 281-341-4519 -
Fort Bend County 400th District Court
Address: Physical: 1422 Eugene Heimann Circle, Richmond TX 77469
Phone: 281-341-4515 Fax: 281-341-4519 -
Fort Bend County 434th District Court
Address: Physical: 1422 Eugene Heimann Circle, Richmond TX 77469
Phone: 281-341-4515 Fax: 281-341-4519 -
Fort Bend County Constitutional Court
Address: 301 Jackson St, Richmond TX 77469
Phone: 281-341-8652 Fax: 281-341-8697 -
Fort Bend County Court at Law No. 1
Address: 301 Jackson St, Richmond TX 77469
Phone: 281-341-8652 Fax: 281-341-8697 -
Fort Bend County Court at Law No. 2
Address: 301 Jackson St, Richmond TX 77469
Phone: 281-341-8652 Fax: 281-341-8697 -
Fort Bend County Court at Law No. 3
Address: 301 Jackson St, Richmond TX 77469
Phone: 281-341-8652 Fax: 281-341-8697 -
Fort Bend County Court at Law No. 4
Address: 301 Jackson Street, Richmond TX 77469
Phone: 281-341-8652 Fax: 281-341-8697 -
Fort Bend County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 – Place 1
Address: 3114 Rosenberg St, Needville TX 77461
Phone: 979-793-3403 Fax: 979-793-3651 -
Fort Bend County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 – Place 2
Address: 1517 Eugene Heimann Circle, #100, Richmond TX 77469
Phone: 281-341-3742 Fax: 281-341-3746 -
Fort Bend County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2
Address: 303 Texas Pkwy, #107, Missouri City TX 77489
Phone: 281-403-8080 Fax: 281-403-8089 -
Fort Bend County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3
Address: 22333 Grand Corner Dr, Katy TX 77494
Phone: 281-238-1460 Fax: 281-238-1461 -
Fort Bend County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4
Address: 12919 Dairy Ashford, #100, Sugar Land TX 77478
Phone: 281-491-6016 Fax: 281-242-2706 -
Arcola Municipal Court
Address: 13222 Highway 6, Arcola TX 77583
Phone: 281-431-1852 Fax: 281-431-1523 -
Fulshear Municipal Court
Address: 30603 FM 1093, PO Box 279, Fulshear TX 77441
Phone: 281-346-1796 Fax: 281-346-2556 -
Meadows Place Municipal Court
Address: One Troyan Dr, Meadows Place TX 77477
Phone: 281-983-2950 Fax: 281-983-2940 -
Missouri City Municipal Court
Address: 3845 Cartwright Rd, Missouri City TX 77459
Phone: 281-261-8669 Fax: 281-403-8987 -
Needville Municipal Court
Address: PO Box 527, Needville TX 77461
Phone: 979-793-4253 -
Orchard Municipal Court
Address: PO Box 59, Orchard TX 77464
Phone: 979-478-6893 -
Richmond Municipal Court
Address: 600 Morton St, Richmond TX 77469
Phone: 281-342-0578 Fax: 832-595-0344 -
Rosenberg Municipal Court
Address: 2110 Fourth St, PO Box 32, Rosenberg TX 77471
Phone: 832-595-3450 Fax: 832-595-3451 -
Simonton Municipal Court
Address: PO Box 7, Simonton, TX 77476
Phone: 281-533-9809 -
Stafford Municipal Court
Address: 2610 S Main St, Stafford TX 77477
Phone: 281-261-3930 Fax: 281-261-3935 -
Sugar Land Municipal Court
Address: 1200 Highway 6 S, PO Box 110, Sugar Land TX 77487
Phone: 281-275-2390 Fax: 281-275-2648 -
Thompsons Municipal Court
Address: PO Box 29, Thompsons, TX 77481
Phone: 281-343-9929