Liberty County Criminal Court

Liberty County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Liberty County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Liberty County.

Jury Deliberations in Liberty County

In Liberty 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.

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.

Liberty County Criminal Court

Liberty 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 Liberty County a public defender will be appointed by the judge if you cannot afford private representation.

Appealing a Criminal Conviciton

A defendant may appeal a criminal conviction to an appellate court. In an appeal, the actual trial is not redone, but the appellate court hears arguments that the criminal case was not handled in a legal manner at the original criminal court. The appellate court can either uphold the conviction, or determine that errors were made and may request a retrial, a resentencing of the defendant or that the charges be dismissed.

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 Liberty County

During an arraignment in Liberty 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 Liberty 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 Liberty County the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.

I need help for my Liberty 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 Liberty 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 Liberty 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.

Mandatory Appearances in Liberty County Criminal Court

At a mandatory or required court appearance in Liberty 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.

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.

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.

Who is the prosecutor for Liberty County?

Depending upon the case, the prosecutor for Liberty County criminal cases will either be a representative of Liberty 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.

Liberty County Criminal Court hearings

Criminal hearings in Liberty County will take place at the Liberty County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Liberty County Criminal Court Locations.

Liberty County Criminal Court Locations

  • Liberty County 75th District Court

    Address: 1923 Sam Houston St, #115, Liberty TX 77575
    Phone: 936-336-4682 Fax: 936-336-1115

  • Liberty County 253rd District Court

    Address: 1923 Sam Houston St, #115, Liberty TX 77575
    Phone: 936-336-4682 Fax: 936-336-1115

  • Liberty County Constitutional Court

    Address: 1923 Sam Houston St, PO Box 369, Liberty TX 77575
    Phone: 936-336-4670 Fax: 936-334-8174

  • Liberty County Court at Law

    Address: 1923 Sam Houston St, PO Box 369, Liberty TX 77575
    Phone: 936-336-4670 Fax: 936-334-8174

  • Liberty County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1

    Address: Phone: 936-336-4558, x234 Fax: 936-334-3207

  • Liberty County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2

    Address: US Hwy 90, PO Box 426, Raywood TX 77582
    Phone: 936-587-4010 Fax: 936-587-4951

  • Liberty County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3

    Address: 650 CR 2010, Liberty TX 77575
    Phone: 936-298-9407 Fax: 936-298-3827

  • Liberty County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4

    Address: 1300 W Clayton St, Dayton TX 77535
    Phone: 936-258-2461 Fax: 936-258-2010

  • Liberty County Justice of the Peace Precinct 5

    Address: 22350 Hwy 321, Cleveland TX 77327
    Phone: 281-592-9229 Fax: 281-592-1404

  • Liberty County Justice of the Peace Precinct 6

    Address: 304 Campbell St, Cleveland TX 77327
    Phone: 281-593-8422 Fax: 281-593-8456

  • Cleveland Municipal Court

    Address: 226 Peach St, Cleveland TX 77327
    Phone: 281-592-5639 Fax: 281-592-8663

  • Daisetta Municipal Court

    Address: 410B Main St, PO Box 549, Daisetta TX 77533
    Phone: 936-536-6120 Fax: 936-536-6031

  • Dayton Lakes Municipal Court

    Address: 273 CR 650, Dayton TX 77535
    Phone: 936-258-9500

  • Dayton Municipal Court

    Address: 117 Cook St, Dayton TX 77535
    Phone: 936-258-5312 Fax 936-258-2663

  • Hardin Municipal Court

    Address: PO Box 324, Hardin TX 77561
    Phone: 936-298-2117

  • Kenefick Municipal Court

    Address: 3564 FM 1008, Dayton TX 77535
    Phone: 936-258-2130

  • Liberty Municipal Court

    Address: 1829 Sam Houston St, Liberty TX 77575
    Phone: 936-334-7121 Fax: 936-336-9846

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.