Jackson County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Jackson County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Jackson County.
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.
Defendant Sentencing
At a sentence hearing the judge will inform the defendant of the sentence that will be imposed. This sometimes occurs at the same hearing in which the defendant is found guilty (either by trial or plea agreement). In can also occur at a later date, most often this is due to the complexity of the case where more time is needed to determine the appropriate sentence.
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.
Mandatory Appearances in Jackson County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Jackson 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.
Where can I get help for my Jackson 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 Jackson 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.
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.
Can I request a Plea Agreement?
In Jackson 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.
Jury Deliberation
In a jury trial in Jackson County, after both the prosecution and defense have rested, the judge will give instructions to the jury and jury deliberations will begin. The jury will convence in a private room to discuss and deliberate the innocence or guilt of the defendant. Once the jury arrives at a unimanous decision, they will inform the judge that they have reached a decision. They will return to the court and the verdict will be read aloud. If the jury cannot reach a unaminous decision, the jury is said to be deadlocked and a mistrial will be declared in the case.
Where will Jackson County criminal case hearings take place?
Criminal cases will take place at the criminal courts of Jackson County. See here for the location of the criminal courts in Jackson 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.
Jackson County Arraignments
An arraignment is a court hearing. In Jackson County this is the first thing that will happen in a criminal case. The defendant will be brought before a judge in Jackson 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 Jackson 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.
Who is the prosecutor for Jackson County?
Depending upon the case, the prosecutor for Jackson County criminal cases will either be a representative of Jackson 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.
Jackson County Criminal Court Locations
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Jackson County 24th District Court
Address: 115 W Main St, #203, Edna TX 77957
Phone: 361-782-3812 Fax: 361-782-3056 -
Jackson County 135th District Court
Address: 115 W Main St, #203, Edna TX 77957
Phone: 361-782-3812 Fax: 361-782-3056 -
Jackson County 267th District Court
Address: 115 W Main St, #203, Edna TX 77957
Phone: 361-782-3812 Fax: 361-782-3056 -
Jackson County Constitutional Court
Address: 115 W Main St, #101, Edna TX 77957
Phone: 361-782-3563 Fax: 361-782-3132 -
Jackson County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1
Address: 411 N Wells St, #301, Edna TX 77957
Phone: 361-782-5259 Fax: 361-782-7039 -
Jackson County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2
Address: 214 S Third St, PO Box 703, Ganado TX 77962
Phone: 361-771-2249 Fax: 361-771-2278 -
Edna Municipal Court
Address: 128 W Main St, Edna TX 77957
Phone: 361-782-8880 -
Ganado Municipal Court
Address: 112 E Putnam St, PO Box 264, Ganado TX 77962
Phone: 361-771-2232 Fax: 361-771-3015