King George County Criminal Court

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

Prosecutor in King George County

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

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.

King George County Criminal Court

King George County Criminal Court

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.

King George County Arraignments

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

Any required court appearances in King George 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.

Who can help me in King George County?

For general information about your case the King George 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.

Jury Deliberation

In a jury trial in King George 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.

Sentencing in King George County

In King George County if the defendant is found guilty (by trial or plea), the defendant will be sentenced. This sometimes occurrs immediately after being found guilty, but can also take place at a later date. In most instances, a judge will impose the sentence that is requested by the prosecution, but they also have the descretion to impose a different sentence.

Can I appeal a guilty verdict?

If found guilty, a defendant may decide to appeal his case to an appelate court. The appellate court will not retry the case, they will examine the proceedings in the lower court to make sure they were done in a legal manner. The appellate court can either uphold the original conviction, or determine that due to errors made in the original trial, that there must be a retrial, resentencing or a complete dismissal of the charges.

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.

Burden of Proof Requirement

In a criminal case in the United States, the burden of proof always requires the prosecutor to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty. This is a high threshold that must be met by the prosecution when presenting evidence in a case. If the prosecution fails in it’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt the judge must find the defendant not guilty. In a jury trial, the judge will inform the jury what this burden is and their obligation to find the defendant not guilty if they feel the prosecution did prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

King George County Criminal Court locations

Criminal proceedings take place in the King George County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.

King George County Criminal Court Locations

  • King George County Circuit Court – 15th Judicial Circuit

    Address: 9483 Kings Hwy, #3, King George VA 22485
    Phone: 540-775-3322 Fax: 540-775-5466

  • King George County General District Court – 15th Judicial District

    Address: 9483 Kings Hwy, PO Box 279, King George VA 22485
    Phone: 540-775-3573 Fax; 540-775-0813

  • King George County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

    Address: 9483 Kings Hwy, PO Box 279, King George VA 22485
    Phone: 540-775-3573 Fax; 540-775-0813

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