Wood County Criminal Court

Wood County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Wood County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Wood 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 Wood County a public defender will be appointed by the judge if you cannot afford private representation.

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.

Wood County Criminal Court

Wood County Criminal Court

Wood County Required Court Appearances

In Wood County, 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.

Sentencing in Wood County

In Wood 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.

Who is the prosecutor for Wood County?

Depending upon the case, the prosecutor for Wood County criminal cases will either be a representative of Wood County or a representative from West Virginia. After reviewing evidence it is the prosecutor’s decision whether to file charges or drop a case. Most prosecutors have the ability to negotiate plea bargains, and determine how the case will be prosecuted.

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.

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.

Where can I get help for my Wood 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 Wood 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.

Wood County Arraignments

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

Jury Deliberations in Wood County

In Wood 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.

Wood County Criminal Court hearings

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

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.

Wood County Criminal Court Locations

  • Wood County Circuit Court

    Address: 2 Government Square, Parkersburg, WV 26101
    Phone: 304-424-1700 Fax: 304-424-1804

  • Wood County Magistrate Court

    Address: 401 2nd Street, Suite 12, Parkersburg, WV 26101
    Phone: 304-422-3444 Fax: 304-422-7871

  • North Hills Municipal Court

    Address: 176 North Hills Drive, Parkersburg, WV 26101
    Phone: 304-428-9555

  • Parkersburg Municipal Court

    Address: 1 Government Square, PO Box 1627, Parkersburg, WV 26102
    Phone: 304-424-8430

  • Vienna Municipal Court

    Address: 609 29th Street, Vienna, WV 26105
    Phone: 304-295-8563

  • Williamstown Municipal Court

    Address: 100 West 5th Street, Williamstown, WV 26187
    Phone: 304-375-7761 Fax: 304-375-7765

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