Hunt County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Hunt County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Hunt County.
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.
Hunt County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Hunt County will take place at the Hunt County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Hunt County Criminal Court Locations.
Hunt County Criminal Court
Required Court Appearances in Hunt County
Any required court appearances in Hunt 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.
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.
Burden of Proof
The burden of proof is always on the prosecution in a criminal trial. In other words, the prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime. The defense must only prove that there is a reasonable possibility that the defendant did NOT commit the crime. If the prosecution cannot prove that the defendant committed the crime beyond a reasonable doubt, the jury will be instructed to find the defendant not-guilty.
Who can help me in Hunt County?
For general information about your case the Hunt 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.
Sentencing in Hunt County
In Hunt 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.
What happens in Hunt County at an arraignment?
In Hunt County the defendant is brought into court and informed by the judge of the charges that have been filed against them along with informing them of their rights. At this time, the defendant can plead guilty, not guilty or no contest. If the defendant pleads guilty or no contest, there will be no trial and the defendant may be sentenced immediately or at a later date. If the defendant pleads not guilty a trial date is set.
Can I request a Plea Agreement?
In Hunt 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.
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.
Prosecutor in Hunt County
In Hunt County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Hunt County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Texas. For the most part, the prosecutor in Hunt County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.
Hunt County Criminal Court Locations
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Hunt County 196th District Court
Address: 2507 Lee St, 2nd Floor, Greenville TX 75401
Phone: 903-408-4172 -
Hunt County 354th District Court
Address: 2507 Lee St, 2nd Floor, Greenville TX 75401
Phone: 903-408-4172 -
Hunt County Constitutional Court
Address: 2507 Lee St, 2nd Floor, PO Box 1316, Greenville TX 75403
Phone: 903-408-4130 Fax: 903-408-4287 -
Hunt County Clerk’s Office
Address: 2507 Lee St, 2nd Floor, PO Box 1316, Greenville TX 75403
Phone: 903-408-4130 Fax: 903-408-4287 -
Hunt County Court at Law No. 1
Address: 2507 Lee St, 4th Floor, Greenville TX 75401
Phone: 903-408-4200 Fax: 903-408-4125 -
Hunt County Court at Law No. 2
Address: 2507 Lee St, 2nd Floor, Greenville TX 75401
Phone: 903-408-4234 Fax: 903-408-4239 -
Hunt County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 – Place 1
Address: 2801 Stuart St, Greenville TX 75401
Phone: 903-453-6922 -
Hunt County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 – Place 2
Address: 2801 Stuart St, Greenville TX 75401
Phone: 903-453-6930 -
Hunt County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2
Address: 100 Kings Plaza, Suite F, Commerce, TX 75428
Phone: 903-886-6726 -
Hunt County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3
Address: 108 E Main St, PO Box 110, Wolfe City TX 75496
Phone: 903-496-7974 -
Hunt County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4
Address: 112 E Main St, PO Box 2859, Quinlan TX 75474
Phone: 903-356-2904 Fax: 903-356-4737 -
Caddo Mills Municipal Court
Address: 23 Main St, PO Box 490, Caddo Mills TX 75135
Phone: 903-527-3116 -
Celeste Municipal Court
Address: 201 N Highway 69, PO Box 399, Celeste TX 75423
Phone: 903-568-4512 -
Commerce Municipal Court
Address: 1119 Alamo St, Commerce TX 75428
Phone: 903-886-1132 Fax: 903-886-1136 -
Greenville Municipal Court
Address: 3000 Lee St, PO Box 1049, Greenville TX 75403
Phone: 903-457-3129 Fax: 903-457-2984 -
Hawk Cove Municipal Court
Address: 1585 Maria St, Hawk Cove TX 75474
Phone: 903-447-5330 -
Lone Oak Municipal Court
Address: 115 Town Square, PO Box 127, Lone Oak TX 75453
Phone: 903-634-2501 -
Quinlan Municipal Court
Address: PO Box 2740, Quinlan TX 75474
Phone: 903-356-3306 -
West Tawakoni Municipal Court
Address: 1533 E Highway 276, West Tawakoni TX 75474
Phone: 903-447-3521 -
Wolfe City Municipal Court
Address: 101 W Main St, Wolfe City TX 75496
Phone: 903-496-2251