The Dade County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is responsible for prosecuting traffic tickets, felonies, and misdemeanor crimes committed in Dade County. Our office is dedicated to the pursuit of truth, justice and protection of the innocent, and the prevention of crime through the vigorous and professional prosecution of those who violate the law.

There are many steps in the legal process. Here is a brief overview:

 
Investigation and Arrest: Once the Police or other investigation officers gather enough evidence, they present the case to the prosecutor. The prosecutor decides what charges should be filed. A warrant is then issued for the suspects if he/she is not already in custody.

Initial Arraignment: The defendant must be charged with the crime. Then the person appears before a judge to be arraigned. Here, the judge informs the defendant of the charges. The judge also sets a date for the preliminary hearing.

After it is determined if there is enough evidence for the State to pursue charges, the next step in the criminal justice process is the preliminary hearing.

Preliminary Hearing: The Prosecutor's office presents evidence to show the judge that there is probable cause, or reason to believe that a crime has been committed and that the defendant committed the crime. The judge determines if there is enough evidence to bind the case over to Circuit Court. Sometimes a defendant will give up his/her right to a hearing. If this occurs, the case is automatically bound over to Circuit Court. A defendant can enter a plea of guilty at the preliminary hearing if desired. The Associate Circuit Court also has the authority to sentence persons found guilty of misdemeanors to jail and/or a fine. The judge has authority to grant probation to a defendant that he believes might be rehabilitated by supervision.
 
Circuit Court Arraignments: The next proceeding after the case is bound over at a preliminary hearing, is the Circuit Court arraignment. The charges are read and the defendant may enter a plea of "not guilty." Arraignments are open to the public.
 
Compiling the Case: As the court date approaches, the Prosecuting Attorney will begin working more steadily on preparing the case, gathering testimony from witnesses, or requesting further investigation.

Continuances: Continuances, or delays in court dates, are extremely frustrating for crime victims. Sometimes they are necessary to ensure a fair trial. Nearly every case is continued several times before it actually goes to trial.

Mental Defense: Sometimes the defense attorney will request a mental exam be ordered for the defendant. The results might not come back for several months, so the case is delayed. The defendant may be found mentally incompetent to stand trial or "not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect." Victim Advocates from our office can explain what the outcome means and what may happen in their situation.

Understanding The Trial, Verdict & Sentencing In The Case

After months of careful preparation, the case will finally come to trial. Here is a quick overview of the events that take place in a criminal trial.
 
Jury Selection: The day the trial is scheduled, the prosecuting and defending attorneys must first select twelve jurors who will hear the evidence and arise at a verdict.
 
Opening Statements and Presenting Evidence: The prosecuting and defending attorneys begin by summarizing the case they will be presenting during the trial. Next, the State will present its evidence to prove the defendant's guilt. Then, the defense has the option to present evidence. Conferences on legal motions may cause interruptions throughout the trial.
 
Witnesses: As part of the attorney's case, they will call witnesses to testify for or against the defendant. If you are needed as a witness in the case, the prosecutor will notify you.
 
Closing Arguments: Just as in the opening statements, the prosecuting and defense attorney will summarize the evidence they have presented and ask the jury to find for or against the defendant.
 
Jury Deliberation: After they have heard the evidence, the jurors adjourn to deliberate, or discuss, the case. It is the jury's responsibility to unanimously agree on whether the defendant is guilty or not. Even though the jurors can deliberate for several hours, you can wait for their verdict. If they begin deliberating late in the day; the judge might dismiss them until the next morning.
 
If even one juror cannot agree with the rest, the result is a "hung jury" with no verdict. The case might then be tried all over again at a later date.
 
Appeals: If the defendant is found guilty, he/she may later request an appeal, where his/her case will be heard by another judge in a higher court. Appeals are routine in most murder cases, but usually the guilty verdict is upheld. You may contact Victim Services for more information.
 
Prison or Probation: After the defendant's guilt has been determined, the judge will pass sentence that includes time in prison and/ or a fine. The judge may also sentence the defendant to probation, where the defendant is released under a number of restrictions, to be monitored by a probation officer.
 
Parole: A defendant sentenced to prison will likely be eligible for parole, or early release, before the sentence is completed. This is a policy of the State Parole Board, which sets its own guidelines for when prisoners should be considered for release. The Parole Board will hear the prisoner's case, then recommend either release or continued prison time.

MAKE A PAYMENT FOR RESTITUTION/ BAD CHECK

Acceptable form of payment is money orders which have to be made out to the victim/merchant and the prosecuting attorney fee has to be a separate money order made out to Dade County Prosecutor’s Office. If mailing send to 300 W. Water, Greenfield, MO, 65661. You may pay in person at the same location. Business hours are Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (except holidays).

SEARCH FOR CASE RECORDS

https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/base/welcome.do

SEARCH SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY

https://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/CJ38/search.jsp

SEARCH FOR DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS INMATES

https://web.mo.gov/doc/offSearchWeb/

Hotlines:

Child Abuse Hotline - (800) 392-3738

Elder Abuse Hotline -(800) 392-0210

RAINN (Rape and Assault Hotline) -(800) 656-4673

Void (Victims of Impaired Drivers) -(888) 773-1800

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline -(800) 273-TALK

Missouri School Violence -(866) 748-7047

General:

Missouri Victim Assistance Network - (800) 698-9199 

Missouri Crime Victims' Compensation - (800) 347-6881

MOVANS (Missouri Victim's Automated Notification System) - (866) 566-8267 

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri - (800) 444-0514

Legal Services of Southern Missouri - (800) 444-4863 

Legal Aid of Western Missouri - (800) 492-7095

MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) - 573) 636-2460