San Juan County Criminal Court

San Juan County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in San Juan County. See below for more information about criminal cases in San Juan County.

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

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.

San Juan County Criminal Court

San Juan County Criminal Court

San Juan County Criminal Court hearings

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

Jury Deliberation

In a jury trial in San Juan 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.

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.

Prosecutor in San Juan County

In San Juan County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing San Juan County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Utah. For the most part, the prosecutor in San Juan County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.

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.

Where can I get help for my San Juan 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 San Juan 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.

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.

San Juan County Arraignments

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

Required Court Appearances in San Juan County

Any required court appearances in San Juan 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.

Can I request a Plea Agreement?

In San Juan 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.

San Juan County Criminal Court Locations

  • 7th District Court – San Juan County

    Address: 297 South Main Street, PO Box 68, Monticello, UT 84535
    Phone: 435-587-2122

  • 7th District Juvenile Court – San Juan County

    Address: 297 South Main Street, PO Box 68, Monticello, UT 84535
    Phone: 435-587-2199

  • Blanding Justice Court

    Address: 167 East 500 North, Blanding, UT 84511
    Phone: 435-678-2334 Fax: 435-678-1507

  • Monticello Justice Court

    Address: PO Box 1058, Monticello, UT 84535
    Phone: 435-587-2544 Fax: 435-587-2272

  • San Juan County Justice Court

    Address: 297 South Main Street, PO Box 833, Monticello, UT 84535
    Phone: 435-587-2544 Fax: 435-587-2171

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