Angelina County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Angelina County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Angelina County.
Where can I get help for my Angelina 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 Angelina 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.
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.
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.
What happens in Angelina County at an arraignment?
In Angelina County the defendant is brought into court and informed by the judge of the charges that have been filed against them along with informing them of their rights. At this time, the defendant can plead guilty, not guilty or no contest. If the defendant pleads guilty or no contest, there will be no trial and the defendant may be sentenced immediately or at a later date. If the defendant pleads not guilty a trial date is set.
Can I request a Plea Agreement?
In Angelina 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.
Sentencing in Angelina County
In Angelina 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.
Angelina County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Angelina County will take place at the Angelina County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Angelina County Criminal Court Locations.
Required Court Appearances in Angelina County
Any required court appearances in Angelina 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.
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.
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.
Jury Deliberation
In a jury trial in Angelina 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.
Prosecutor in Angelina County
In Angelina County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Angelina County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Texas. For the most part, the prosecutor in Angelina County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.
Angelina County Criminal Court Locations
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Angelina County 159th District Court
Address: 215 E Lufkin Ave, PO Box 908, Lufkin TX 75902
Phone: 936-634-4312 Fax: 936-634-5915 -
Angelina County 217th District Court
Address: 215 E Lufkin Ave, PO Box 908, Lufkin TX 75902
Phone: 936-634-4312 Fax: 936-634-5915 -
Angelina County Constitutional Court
Address: 215 E Lufkin Ave, PO Box 908, Lufkin TX 75902
Phone: 936-634-8339 -
Angelina County Clerk’s Office
Address: 215 E Lufkin Ave, PO Box 908, Lufkin TX 75902
Phone: 936-634-8339 -
Angelina County Court at Law No. 1
Address: 215 E Lufkin Ave, PO Box 908, Lufkin TX 75902
Phone: 936-639-2204 Fax: 936-639-2673 -
Angelina County Court at Law No. 2
Address: 215 E Lufkin Ave, PO Box 908, Lufkin TX 75902
Phone: 936-634-8984 Fax: 936-634-8145 -
Angelina County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1
Address: 2311 E Lufkin Ave, PO Box 43, Lufkin TX 75902
Phone: 936-634-8334 Fax: 936-634-8336 -
Angelina County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2
Address: 2219 N John Redditt Dr, PO Box 150423, Lufkin TX 75915
Phone: 936-637-3117 Fax: 936-637-3293 -
Angelina County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3
Address: 205 E Gibson St, PO Box 311, Huntington TX 75949
Phone: 936-422-5533 Fax: 936-876-9912 -
Angelina County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 (At Large)
Address: 134 Warren St, PO Box 31, Zavalla TX 75980
Phone: 936-897-2424 Fax: 936-897-8023 -
Angelina County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4
Address: 211 N Temple St, Diboll TX 75941
Phone: 936-829-3535 Fax: 936-829-3534 -
Diboll Municipal Court
Address: 400 Kenley St, PO Box 340, Diboll TX 75941
Phone: 936-829-4761 -
Hudson Municipal Court
Address: 201 Mt. Carmel Rd, Hudson TX 75904
Phone: 936-875-2358 -
Huntington Municipal Court
Address: Highway 69 S, PO Box 349, Huntington TX 75949
Phone: 936-422-4195 -
Lufkin Municipal Court
Address: 300 E Shepherd Ave, PO Box 190, Lufkin TX 75902
Phone: 936-633-0315 Fax: 936-639-9646 -
Zavalla Municipal Court
Address: 838 E Main St, Zavalla TX 75980
Phone: 936-897-8209