Frio County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Frio County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Frio County.
Frio County Required Court Appearances
In Frio County, there are both required and non-required court appearances for the defendant. At a required or mandatory appearance hearing, the defendant is required to appear in person before the court. Failing to appear at your required hearing may result in a bench warrant being issued for your arrest by the judge.
Jury Deliberations in Frio County
In Frio 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.
Frio County Criminal Court
Who can help me in Frio County?
For general information about your case the Frio 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.
Who is the prosecutor for Frio County?
Depending upon the case, the prosecutor for Frio County criminal cases will either be a representative of Frio 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.
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.
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.
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.
Frio County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Frio County will take place at the Frio County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Frio County Criminal Court Locations.
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.
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.
Arraignments in Frio County
During an arraignment in Frio 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 Frio 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 Frio County the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.
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.
Frio County Criminal Court Locations
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Frio County 81st District Court
Address: 500 E San Antonio St, Box 8, Pearsall TX 78061
Phone: 830-334-8073 Fax: 830-334-0047 -
Frio County 218th District Court
Address: 500 E San Antonio St, Box 8, Pearsall TX 78061
Phone: 830-334-8073 Fax: 830-334-0047 -
Frio County Constitutional Court
Address: 500 E San Antonio St, Box 6, Pearsall TX 78061
Phone: 830-334-2214 Fax: 830-334-0021 -
Frio County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1
Address: 500 E San Antonio St, Box 9, Pearsall TX 78061
Phone: 830-334-3668 Fax: 830-334-0034 -
Frio County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2
Address: PO Box 751, Pearsall TX 78061
Phone: 830-334-8292 Fax: 830-334-0080 -
Frio County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3
Address: 411 N Willow St, Pearsall TX 78061
Phone: 830-334-2911 Fax: 830-334-0096 -
Frio County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4
Address: PO Box 2206, Dilley TX 78017
Phone: 830-965-2009 Fax: 830-965-4148 -
Dilley Municipal Court
Address: PO Box 230, Dilley TX 78017
Phone: 830-965-1733 -
Pearsall Municipal Court
Address: 205 E Trinity St, Pearsall TX 78061
Phone: 830-334-4160