Prince William County Criminal Court

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

Mandatory Appearances in Prince William County Criminal Court

At a mandatory or required court appearance in Prince William 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 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.

Prince William County Criminal Court

Prince William County Criminal Court

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.

Prosecutor in Prince William County

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

Prince William County Arraignments

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

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.

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.

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.

Prince William County Criminal Court hearings

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

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.

Burden of Proof

The burden of proof is always on the prosecution in a criminal trial. In other words, the prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime. The defense must only prove that there is a reasonable possibility that the defendant did NOT commit the crime. If the prosecution cannot prove that the defendant committed the crime beyond a reasonable doubt, the jury will be instructed to find the defendant not-guilty.

Who can help me in Prince William County?

For general information about your case the Prince William 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.

Prince William County Criminal Court Locations

  • Prince William County Circuit Court – 31st Judicial Circuit

    Address: 9311 Lee Ave, Manassas VA 20110
    Phone: 703-792-6015 Fax: 703-792-5746 (Criminal) 703-792-7750 (Civil/Probate)

  • Prince William County General District Court – 31st Judicial District

    Address: 9311 Lee Ave, Manassas VA 20110
    Phone: 703-792-5787

  • Prince William County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

    Address: 9311 Lee Ave, Manassas VA 20110
    Phone: 703-792-6160 Fax: 703-792-7863

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