Sanpete County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Sanpete County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Sanpete County.
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.
Jury Deliberation
In a jury trial in Sanpete 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.
Where can I get help for my Sanpete 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 Sanpete 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.
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.
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.
Sanpete County Arraignments
An arraignment is a court hearing. In Sanpete County this is the first thing that will happen in a criminal case. The defendant will be brought before a judge in Sanpete 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 Sanpete 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 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.
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.
Sanpete County Prosecutor
For criminal cases in Sanpete County, the prosecutor will be a representative of Sanpete County. The Sanpete County prosecutor reviews all evidence and ultimately decides whether to file or dismiss charges in the case. Most of the time, the prosecutor has leeway in plea negotiations and determines how the case will be prosecuted.
Sanpete County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Sanpete County will take place at the Sanpete County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Sanpete County Criminal Court Locations.
Sanpete County Required Court Appearances
In Sanpete 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.
Sanpete County Criminal Court Locations
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6th District Court – Sanpete County
Address: 160 North Main, PO Box 100, Manti, UT 84642
Phone: 435-835-2121 Fax: 435-835-2134 -
6th District Juvenile Court – Sanpete County
Address: 160 North Main, Manti, UT 84642
Phone: 435-835-2121 -
Ephraim Justice Court
Address: 5 South Main Street, Ephraim, UT 84627
Phone: 435-283-4631 Fax: 435-283-4867 -
Fairview Justice Court
Address: 85 South State, PO Box 97, Fairview, UT 84629
Phone: 435-427-3858 Fax: 435-427-3275 -
Fountain Green Justice Court
Address: PO Box 97, Fountain Green, UT 84632
Phone: 435-445-3453 Fax: 435-445-3375 -
Gunnison Justice Court
Address: 38 West Center Street, PO Box 790, Gunnison, UT 84634
Phone: 435-528-5494 Fax: 435-528-5417 -
Manti Justice Court
Address: 50 South Main Street, Manti, UT 84642
Phone: 435-835-4631 Fax: 435-835-2632 -
Moroni Justice Court
Address: 80 South 200 West, Moroni, UT 84646
Phone: 435-436-8359 Fax: 435-436-8178 -
Mount Pleasant Justice Court
Address: 115 West Main Street, Mount Pleasant, UT 84647
Phone: 435-462-2502 Fax: 435-462-2581 -
Sanpete County Justice Court
Address: 160 North Main, PO Box 146, Manti, UT 84642
Phone: 435-835-2103 -
Spring City Justice Court
Address: 150 East Center Street, PO Box 189, Spring City, UT 84662
Phone: 435-462-2244 Fax: 435-462-2654