Navarro County Criminal Court

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

Plea Agreements

A Plea Agreement, sometimes known as a Plea Bargain is an agreement between the prosecution and the defendant, where the defendant pleads guilty or no contest often in exchange for a lesser charge or lighter recommended sentence. A large majority of criminal cases end in a plea agreement. In Navarro County you can inform your attorney to negotiate with the prosecution to attempt to come to a plea agreement, but this is dependent upon the charge severity and also the prosecutors willingness to accept a plea deal.

Navarro County Criminal Court hearings

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

Navarro County Criminal Court

Navarro County Criminal Court

Navarro County Arraignments

An arraignment is a court hearing. In Navarro County this is the first thing that will happen in a criminal case. The defendant will be brought before a judge in Navarro 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 Navarro 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.

Jury by Trial Right

The US Constitution (Article 3 along with the 6th Amendment) ensures an accused defendant the right to a jury trial. This applies to crimes that have a $500 fine or a potential sentence of six months in jail (aka Serious Crimes). This right to trial by jury can also be waived by a defendant.

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.

Who is the prosecutor for Navarro County?

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

Who can help me in Navarro County?

For general information about your case the Navarro 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.

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.

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

Required Court Appearances in Navarro County

Any required court appearances in Navarro 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.

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.

Navarro County Criminal Court Locations

  • Navarro County 13th District Court

    Address: 300 W 3rd Ave, #201, PO Box 1439, Corsicana TX 75151
    Phone: 903-654-3040

  • Navarro County Constitutional Court

    Address: 300 W 3rd Ave, #101, PO Box 423, Corsicana TX 75151
    Phone: 903-654-3035

  • Navarro County Court at Law

    Address: 300 W 3rd Ave, #101, PO Box 423, Corsicana TX 75151
    Phone: 903-654-3035

  • Navarro County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1

    Address: 312 W 2nd Ave, Corsicana TX 75110
    Phone: 903-654-3055 Fax: 903-654-3092

  • Navarro County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2

    Address: 312 W 2nd Ave, Corsicana TX 75110
    Phone: 903-654-3058 Fax: 903-654-3092

  • Navarro County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3

    Address: 312 W 2nd Ave, Corsicana TX 75110
    Phone: 903-654-3063 Fax: 903-654-3092

  • Navarro County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4

    Address: 312 W 2nd Ave, Corsicana TX 75110
    Phone: 903-654-3060 Fax: 903-654-3092

  • Blooming Grove Municipal Court

    Address: 200 S Fordyce, Blooming Grove TX 76626
    Phone: 903-695-2711 Fax: 903-695-2482

  • Corsicana Municipal Court

    Address: 200 N 12th St, Corsicana TX 75110
    Phone: 903-654-4856 Fax: 903-654-4862

  • Dawson Municipal Court

    Address: PO Box 400, Dawson TX 76639
    Phone: 254-578-1515

  • Frost Municipal Court

    Address: PO Box X, Frost TX 76641
    Phone: 903-682-3861

  • Kerens Municipal Court

    Address: 200 S Colket Ave, PO Box 160, Kerens TX 75144
    Phone: 903-396-2971 Fax: 903-396-7265

  • Rice Municipal Court

    Address: 205 E Calhoun, PO Box 97, Rice TX 75155
    Phone: 903-326-7511

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.