Williamson County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Williamson County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Williamson 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 Williamson 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.
Williamson County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Williamson County will take place at the Williamson County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Williamson County Criminal Court Locations.
Williamson County Criminal Court
Jury Deliberations in Williamson County
In Williamson 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.
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 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.
The Right to Counsel
The Fifth and Sixth Amendments to the U.s. Constitution give defendants in criminal cases the right to counsel/attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney one will be appointed to represent you. Like other rights a defendant has, this one can be waived as well and alternatively you can choose to represent yourself.
Mandatory Appearances in Williamson County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Williamson 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 happens in Williamson County at an arraignment?
In Williamson 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.
The Right to Trial by Jury
The Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right to a trial by a jury. This is applicable for when the crime can carry a sentence of 6 months in jail OR a $500 fine, these are known as “Serious Crimes”. The defendant can also waive their right to a speedy and public trial.
Who can help me in Williamson County?
For general information about your case the Williamson 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.
Williamson County Prosecutor
For criminal cases in Williamson County, the prosecutor will be a representative of Williamson County. The Williamson County prosecutor reviews all evidence and ultimately decides whether to file or dismiss charges in the case. Most of the time, the prosecutor has leeway in plea negotiations and determines how the case will be prosecuted.
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.
Williamson County Criminal Court Locations
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Williamson County 26th District Court
Address: 405 M.L.K. St, PO Box 24, Georgetown TX 78627
Phone: 512-943-1212 Fax: 512-943-1222 -
Williamson County 277th District Court
Address: 405 M.L.K. St, PO Box 24, Georgetown TX 78627
Phone: 512-943-1212 Fax: 512-943-1222 -
Williamson County 368th District Court
Address: 405 M.L.K. St, PO Box 24, Georgetown TX 78627
Phone: 512-943-1212 Fax: 512-943-1222 -
Williamson County 395th District Court
Address: 405 M.L.K. St, PO Box 24, Georgetown TX 78627
Phone: 512-943-1212 Fax: 512-943-1222 -
Williamson County 425th District Court
Address: 405 M.L.K. St, PO Box 24, Georgetown TX 78627
Phone: 512-943-1212 Fax: 512-943-1222 -
Williamson County Constitutional Court
Address: 405 M.L.K. St, PO Box 18, Georgetown TX 78627
Phone: 512-943-1515 Fax: 512-943-1616 -
Williamson County Court at Law No. 1
Address: 405 M.L.K. St, PO Box 18, Georgetown TX 78627
Phone: 512-943-1140 (Civil/Probate) Fax: 512-943-1154 -
Williamson County Court at Law No. 2
Address: 405 M.L.K. St, PO Box 18, Georgetown TX 78627
Phone: 512-943-1140 (Civil/Probate) Fax: 512-943-1154 -
Williamson County Court at Law No. 3
Address: 405 M.L.K. St, PO Box 18, Georgetown TX 78627
Phone: 512-943-1140 (Civil/Probate) Fax: 512-943-1154 -
Williamson County Court at Law No. 4
Address: 405 M.L.K. St, PO Box 18, Georgetown TX 78627
Phone: 512-943-1140 (Civil/Probate) Fax: 512-943-1154 -
Williamson County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1
Address: 1801 E Old Settlers Blvd, #100, Round Rock TX 78664
Phone: 512-244-8613 (Civil) Fax: 512-244-8603 -
Williamson County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2
Address: 350 Discovery Blvd, #204, Cedar Park TX 78613
Phone: 512-260-4210 Fax: 512-260-4215 -
Williamson County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3
Address: 301 SE Inner Loop, #103, Georgetown TX 78626
Phone: 512-943-1501 -
Williamson County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4
Address: 211 W 6th St, Taylor TX 76574
Phone: 512-352-4155 -
Cedar Park Municipal Court
Address: 911 Quest Pkwy, Cedar Park TX 78613
Phone: 512-260-4300 Fax: 512-259-9796 -
Florence Municipal Court
Address: Phone: 254-793-8037, x2 Fax: 254-793-3766
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Georgetown Municipal Court
Address: 101 E 7th St, PO Box 1424, Georgetown TX 78627
Phone: 512-930-3625 Fax: 512-930-8030 -
Granger Municipal Court
Address: 214 E Davilla St, PO Box 367, Granger TX 76530
Phone: 512-859-2755 -
Hutto Municipal Court
Address: 401 W Front St, Hutto TX 78634
Phone: 512-759-1011 Fax: 512-846-2653 -
Jarrell Municipal Court
Address: 1651 CR 305, PO Box 828, Jarrell TX 76537
Phone: 512-746-4593 Fax: 512-746-2052 -
Leander Municipal Court
Address: 200 W Willis St, Leander TX 78641
Phone: 512-259-1239 Fax: 512-528-2713 -
Liberty Hill Municipal Court
Address: 2801 RR 1869, Liberty Hill TX 78642
Phone: 512-515-5410 Fax: 512-548-6429 -
Round Rock Municipal Court
Address: 301 W Bagdad Ave, #120, Round Rock TX 78664
Phone: 512-218-5480 Fax: 512-218-7079 -
Taylor Municipal Court
Address: 109 W Fifth St, Taylor TX 76574
Phone: 512-352-5977 Fax: 512-352-7724 -
Thrall Municipal Court
Address: PO Box 346, Thrall TX 76578
Phone: 512-898-5306