A Nassau County Criminal Lawyer gives a background on the Nassau County Criminal Courts and Criminal procedure.
The Criminal Court in Nassau County hears cases in two different locations. The first location is Criminal District Court at 99 Main Street in Hempstead, NY. All Nassau County arraignments and misdemeanors are heard here.
The second location is at 262 Old Country Road Mineola, NY and is referred to as County Court. There is also an East Wing of the County Court which is right next door to the Main Nassau County Criminal Court.
In Nassau County District Criminal Court there are 2 arraignment Parts or courtrooms. Each Nassau County Criminal lawyer in our firm is familiar with both arraignment parts. Arraignment A is the place for people who have been arrested and held in police custody. This Courtroom hears both felony and misdemeanor criminal cases. Arraignment B is for misdemeanor DAT's or what are more commonly known as desk appearance tickets, which include fire marshal code violations and trucking violations. Our Nassau County Criminal Defense Firm and each of our Nassau County Criminal Lawyers can guide you through each type of criminal case or criminal violation.
Nassau County Criminal Arraignment
A standard misdemeanor arraignment should include your Nassau County Criminal Lawyer waiving a public reading of the criminal charge against you. Your criminal lawyer should enter a plea of not guilty on your behalf and request a trial by jury. Each Nassau County Criminal Defense Lawyer in our firm believes you are innocent until proven guilty.
The final issue to be decided in the Nassau County arraignment is your bail status. Your Nassau County Criminal lawyer will request the Nassau County Criminal Judge for your release ROR (released on your own recognizance). The Judge will base his or her decision on many factors that will be brought to the attention of the bench. These factors include: the Nassau County District Attorney's request; your Nassau County Criminal Defense Firm's arguments on your behalf which include but are not limited to your community ties, prior record, job status and family ties. The Judge will want to be certain that you won't get arrested again and that you will show up for your next Nassau County Criminal Court date.
The difference between a felony arraignment and a misdemeanor arraignment in Nassau County is that in a felony criminal case your Criminal Lawyer won't request a Jury Trial. Instead, your Nassau County Criminal Lawyer will request a conference in Part 9.
Nassau County Criminal Cases Post Arraignment
After you are arraigned in Nassau County on a misdemeanor, the criminal case will stay in District Court at 99 Main Street. There are 14 Criminal Parts (Courtrooms) in District Court and your Nassau County Criminal Lawyer can explain in greater detail what happens in each Part. Each Part has an assigned District Attorney. In some instances the Nassau County Criminal Part will segregate types of cases. For example, Nassau County Criminal Part 7 is where every Nassau County DWI lawyer will be found as all Nassau County misdemeanor DWI cases are sent there. There are other "specialty" misdemeanor Parts in Nassau County District and your Criminal Defense Lawyer can detail them for you. They include: Domestic Violence, Treatment Court (drugs), Community Court, DWI and legal aid.
Nassau County Felony Cases
Almost all Nassau County Felony cases start in part 9 as mentioned above. Part 9 is located the East wing of the County Court building. After a conference with the District Attorney, your Nassau County Criminal Lawyer and the Judge, the case will either be plea bargained or be assigned to a Criminal County Court Judge's Courtroom. As in District Court, many Judges deal with "specific" types of cases. There is a criminal felony Court for Drugs and Domestic Violence and yet another that deals with Sex Crime cases such as rape, sex abuse, child pornography, etc.
If you are in need of a Nassau County Criminal Lawyer who will guide you through the Nassau County Criminal Court System as well advise you on the your defense for your Criminal Case, call our office Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC at 800.696.9529.