Tom Green County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Tom Green County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Tom Green County.
Who is the prosecutor for Tom Green County?
Depending upon the case, the prosecutor for Tom Green County criminal cases will either be a representative of Tom Green 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.
Tom Green County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Tom Green County will take place at the Tom Green County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Tom Green County Criminal Court Locations.
Tom Green County Criminal Court
Mandatory Appearances in Tom Green County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Tom Green 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.
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 Tom Green 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.
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.
What happens in Tom Green County at an arraignment?
In Tom Green 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.
Where can I get help for my Tom Green 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 Tom Green 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Tom Green County Criminal Court Locations
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Tom Green County 51st District Court
Address: 112 W Beauregard, San Angelo TX 76903
Phone: 325-659-6582 (Criminal) Fax: 325-659-6412 -
Tom Green County 119th District Court
Address: 112 W Beauregard, San Angelo TX 76903
Phone: 325-659-6582 (Criminal) Fax: 325-659-6412 -
Tom Green County 340th District Court
Address: 112 W Beauregard, San Angelo TX 76903
Phone: 325-659-6582 (Criminal) Fax: 325-659-6412 -
Tom Green County 391st District Court
Address: 112 W Beauregard, San Angelo TX 76903
Phone: 325-659-6582 (Criminal) Fax: 325-659-6412 -
Tom Green County Constitutional Court
Address: 124 W Beauregard, San Angelo TX 76903
Phone: 325-653-6553 Fax: 325-659-3251 -
Tom Green County Court at Law
Address: 124 W Beauregard, San Angelo TX 76903
Phone: 325-653-6553 Fax: 325-659-3251 -
Tom Green County Court at Law No. 2
Address: 124 W Beauregard, San Angelo TX 76903
Phone: 325-653-6553 Fax: 325-659-3251 -
Tom Green County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1
Address: 122 West Harris, #8, San Angelo TX 76903
Phone: 325-659-6444 Fax: 325-659-6459 -
Tom Green County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2
Address: 5006 Knickerbocker Rd, San Angelo TX 76904
Phone: 325-949-2415 Fax: 325-949-5706 -
Tom Green County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3
Address: 3052 N Bryant Blvd, San Angelo TX 76903
Phone: 325-657-9922 Fax: 325-657-0162 -
Tom Green County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4
Address: 124 W Beauregard, San Angelo TX 76903
Phone: 325-659-6424 Fax: 325-659-6418 -
San Angelo Municipal Court
Address: 110 S Emerick St, San Angelo TX 76903
Phone: 325-657-4371