Waynesboro Criminal Court

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

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.

I need help for my Waynesboro criminal case

The best place to get information about your criminal case is from an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, the court will appoint one to represent you which will assist in your case. For general information about your case the Waynesboro court clerk is able to provide general information about your specific case (e.g. date/time hearings, mandatory appearance, what will take place and what you will be required to do). The court clerk for Waynesboro will NOT be able to provide legal advice for your case, only an attorney can provide legal advice. The court clerk can provide legal information (like the information found on this website) about your case but cannot provide advice about what you should do in your legal manner.

Waynesboro Criminal Court

Waynesboro Criminal Court

Jury Deliberations in Waynesboro

In Waynesboro, 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.

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 Waynesboro 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.

Waynesboro Arraignments

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

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.

Prosecutor in Waynesboro

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

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.

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.

Where will Waynesboro criminal case hearings take place?

Criminal cases will take place at the criminal courts of Waynesboro. See here for the location of the criminal courts in Waynesboro.

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.

Waynesboro Required Court Appearances

In Waynesboro, there are both required and non-required court appearances for the defendant. At a required or mandatory appearance hearing, the defendant is required to appear in person before the court. Failing to appear at your required hearing may result in a bench warrant being issued for your arrest by the judge.

Waynesboro Criminal Court Locations

  • City of Waynesboro Circuit Court – 25th Judicial Circuit

    Address: 250 S Wayne Ave, PO Box 910, Waynesboro VA 22980
    Phone: 540-942-6616 Fax: 540-942-6774

  • City of Waynesboro General District Court – 25th Judicial District

    Address: Physical: 237 Market Ave, Waynesboro VA 22980
    Phone: 540-942-6636 Fax: 540-942-6666

  • City of Waynesboro Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

    Address: 237 Market Ave, #202, Waynesboro VA 22980
    Phone: 540-942-6633 Fax: 540-942-6793

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.