Nacogdoches County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Nacogdoches County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Nacogdoches County.
Sentencing in Nacogdoches County
In Nacogdoches 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.
Nacogdoches County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Nacogdoches County will take place at the Nacogdoches County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Nacogdoches County Criminal Court Locations.
Jury Deliberation
In a jury trial in Nacogdoches 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.
Required Court Appearances in Nacogdoches County
Any required court appearances in Nacogdoches 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Arraignments in Nacogdoches County
During an arraignment in Nacogdoches County, a defendant appears before the court and the judge reads the charges that have been filed against the accused and also informs the defendant of his/her rights. During the arraignment in Nacogdoches County, the defendant can choose to plead one of the following 1) Guilty 2) Not Guilty or 3) No Contest. If the defendant enters a plea of Not Guilty, a date for trial is set. In the event of a Guilty or No Contest Plea in Nacogdoches County the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.
Prosecutor in Nacogdoches County
In Nacogdoches County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Nacogdoches County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Texas. For the most part, the prosecutor in Nacogdoches County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.
Where can I get help for my Nacogdoches 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 Nacogdoches 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.
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.
Nacogdoches County Criminal Court Locations
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Nacogdoches County 145th District Court
Address: 101 W Main, #120, Nacogdoches TX 75961
Phone: 936-560-7740 Fax: 936-560-7839 -
Nacogdoches County 420th District Court
Address: 101 W Main, #120, Nacogdoches TX 75961
Phone: 936-560-7740 Fax: 936-560-7839 -
Nacogdoches County Constitutional Court
Address: 101 W Main, #110, Nacogdoches TX 75961
Phone: 936-560-7733 Fax: 936-559-5926 -
Nacogdoches County Court at Law
Address: 101 W Main, #110 Nacogdoches TX 75961
Phone: 936-560-7733 Fax: 936-559-5926 -
Nacogdoches County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1
Address: 9373 US Hwy 259, Nacogdoches TX 75965
Phone: 936-560-4867 Fax: 936-560-6487 -
Nacogdoches County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2
Address: 2306 Douglass Highway, Nacogdoches TX 75964
Phone: 936-560-7726 Fax: 936-560-7892 -
Nacogdoches County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3
Address: 2723 Center Highway, PO Box 1083, Nacogdoches TX 75961
Phone: 936-560-7889 Fax: 936-569-7009 -
Nacogdoches County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4
Address: 4679 FM 226, PO Box 65, Woden TX 75978
Phone: 936-569-9365 Fax: 936-568-0131 -
Garrison Municipal Court
Address: 129 W Greenwood St, Garrison TX 75946
Phone: 936-347-2201 -
Nacogdoches Municipal Court
Address: 217 W. Hospital St, PO Drawer 635030, Nacogdoches TX 75963
Phone: 936-559-2641 Fax: 936-560-3477