| Can I drop charges if I was
the victim in an assault case? |
|
You can request that the charges be dropped. After the individual is arrested
on criminal charges and has bonded out, the proper procedure is to come to our
office and sign an Affidavit of Non-prosecution and give a statement (you need
to bring a picture ID). The prosecutor will then make a decision of
whether to proceed with the assault case or not.
|
| Will I have to go to jail on
my criminal case? |
| This depends on a variety of things--the
nature of the charge, damages, criminal history, etc. Most cases in our court
involve probation initially. On arraignment day, each case is reviewed by a
prosecutor who will state his plea bargain offer. If you do not agree to accept
that offer, you will be given a reset in order for you to consult an
attorney. |
| Do I have to pay the money
on my criminal case all at once or can I pay it out? |
| The Judge asks that court costs be paid up
front on the day you plead. Bring $300.00 to cover court costs on arraignment
day. Fine, restitution and probationary fees will be paid monthly while on
probation. |
| What is an
arraignment? |
| An arraignment is when the defendant
appears in court to enter a plea on his criminal case. You may also discuss your
case with a prosecutor on that day. |
| Do I need an
attorney? |
| You always have the right to be represented
by an attorney. However, if you wish to plead guilty or nolo contendere on your
criminal case, you may speak to a prosecutor about a plea bargain offer. If you
accept that offer, you may proceed without an attorney. If you wish to plead not
guilty or feel there is a problem with your case, you may consult an attorney at
any time prior to your case being disposed of. |
| How can I get a court-
appointed attorney in my criminal case? |
| On your arraignment day, you should inform
the Judge that you are unable to afford an attorney and wish one to be appointed
for you. You must fill out the required forms and the Judge will make a decision
whether you are indigent and then appoint an attorney. |
| What is a FTA? |
| A Failure to Appear is a Class "A"
misdemeanor which alleges a defendant failed to appear in court after he had
signed a bond which stated he would appear in court on a certain date and each
date thereafter set by the court. A warrant is then issued for their arrest to
bring the defendant back before the court on that charge as well as the original
charge. |
| Can I set up a payment plan
on my hot checks? |
| Our office does not have the resources to
take partial payments on all check cases. Each case is considered on a case by
case basis. If you are unable to pay the amount in full, you must contact our
hot check department to work with them on paying the checks in some manner.
Failure to stay in contact with that department can result in a warrant being
issued for your arrest. |
| Can I get a protective order
on my neighbor or an individual who is harassing me who is not a relative, a
member or former member of my household, or an individual in a dating
relationship? |
| No, protective orders are only granted in
domestic or dating violence situations which involve a threat of imminent bodily
injury. |
| Can I file charges with the
County Attorney's office? |
| The County Attorney's office handles the
prosecution of cases after an arrest has been made. Only hot check cases and a
few other cases are filed in our office. In most cases, you must contact your
local law enforcement agency to file charges. |
| Is there a leash law in
Liberty County? |
| There is no current leash law in effect in
Liberty County. Some incorporated cities in Liberty County do have leash
laws. |
| Where do I complain about
the condition of my county road? |
| You must contact the Commissioner of the
precinct in which you reside. |
| Can the County Attorney's
office settle a land dispute between neighbors? |
| No, this is a civil suit which will be
handled in a district court ordinarily and a private attorney is usually
contacted. |