Freestone County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Freestone County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Freestone County.
Sentencing in Freestone County
In Freestone 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 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.
Freestone County Criminal Court
Arraignments in Freestone County
During an arraignment in Freestone 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 Freestone 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 Freestone County the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.
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.
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.
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.
Mandatory Appearances in Freestone County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Freestone 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.
Freestone County Criminal Court locations
Criminal proceedings take place in the Freestone County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.
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.
Where can I get help for my Freestone 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 Freestone 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.
Who is the prosecutor for Freestone County?
Depending upon the case, the prosecutor for Freestone County criminal cases will either be a representative of Freestone 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.
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.
Freestone County Criminal Court Locations
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Freestone County 77th District Court
Address: 118 E Commerce St, PO Box 722, Fairfield TX 75840
Phone: 903-389-2534 Fax: 903-389-8421 -
Freestone County 87th District Court
Address: 118 E Commerce St, PO Box 722, Fairfield TX 75840
Phone: 903-389-2534 Fax: 903-389-8421 -
Freestone County Constitutional Court
Address: 103 E Main St, PO Box 1010, Fairfield TX 75840
Phone: 903-389-2635 Fax: 903-389-6956 -
Freestone County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1
Address: 440 E Main St, #1, Fairfield TX 75840
Phone: 903-389-8783 Fax: 903-389-2465 -
Freestone County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2
Address: PO Box 218, Teague, TX 75860
Phone: 254-739-2518 Fax: 254-739-0939 -
Freestone County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3
Address: 440 E Main St, #3, PO Box 756, Fairfield TX 75840
Phone: 903-389-3137 Fax: 903-389-9409 -
Freestone County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4
Address: PO Box 1255, Fairfield, TX 75840
Phone: 903-389-0420 Fax: 903-389-0429 -
Fairfield Municipal Court
Address: 222 S Mount St, Fairfield TX 75840
Phone: 903-389-2337 -
Teague Municipal Court
Address: 105 S Fourth Ave, Teague TX 75860
Phone: 254-739-5867 Fax: 254-739-2433 -
Wortham Municipal Court
Address: 108 W Main St, PO Box 186, Wortham TX 76693
Phone: 254-765-3042