A municipal court is a court with restrictive area of authority over criminal offenses and civil disputes within its area. These courts can be located at the county or city level.
Bay St. Louis Municipal Court INformation
Court: Bay St. Louis Municipal Court
Address: “688 Hwy 90, PO Box 2550, Bay St. Louis, MS 39521”
Phone: 228-467-9068
City: Bay St. Louis
County: Hancock
State: Mississippi
What is the role of the Bay St. Louis Municipal Court?
Municipal Courts are often called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” Which means that they work with minor criminal charges, civil cases, and traffic matters. Courthouses like Bay St. Louis Municipal Court are the first level of court for this group of matters.
On the other hand, the role of a county court is to deal with a large number of civil disputes within the respective region. Most cases involve family law matters, personal injury cases, more serious criminal charges, or breaches of contract.
County courthouses have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil matters that can not exceed the amount of $15,000, while the circuits courts handle felony cases and bigger civil matters.
TYPES OF affairs seen IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
Municipal courts are the lowest level of courts in the U.S.. They are usually found within the jurisdiction where they are located, but some places share municipal courts with other municipalities.
This can be done to better help their citizens or to save money on expenditures. The cases that could be heard by a municipal court depend on the municipality, but typically include traffic crimes, criminal misdemeanors and code infractions.
You will not find a standard for what establishes a misdemeanor crime versus a felony charge, but generally speaking felonies would require more time in jail than misdemeanor crimes and fines may also be higher for felonies. Traffic violations usually result in points against your driver’s license as well
how are cases managed in the municipal court in Bay St. Louis?
Magistrates manage hearings to determine:
- Probable cause for arrest
- Set bail amounts and terms of release
- Conduct arraignment hearings when charges are filed against defendants by police officers
- Distribute search warrants to police officers in order to secure evidence from crime locations
- start preliminary inquiries to understand if there is enough evidence to mount a charge
The typical process of a Municipal Court matter
First Step: Issuance of Summons
Step Two: Show Up before Judge or Magistrate
Municipal Court Penalties in Bay St. Louis, MS
Penalties change often, which is why it’s best to speak with licensed lawyer near you. The information below represents common penalties, but may not be accurate for the Bay St. Louis Municipal Court.
A violation is a crime that carries a penalty of $500 or less, while a misdemeanor crime can have penalties up to $1000 or one year in local jail. A person’s driving privileges may be suspended for six months if they receive three speeding tickets within 12 months.
The penalties for different crimes in municipal courts vary depending on the severity of an offenses. For example, if you are caught with marijuana without having a prescription for it then you will be fined up to $2,000 or spend up to six months in jail.
Bay St. Louis Municipal Court Records
Municipal Court records from a municipal government could be difficult to find because they are not always stored in one location or system. The records that an individual might need to depend on the type of charge they have before the court, where it’s at in the process, and what type of information is required by law to be available.
FAQs ABOUT the Bay St. Louis Municipal Court
What is municipal court in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi?
In Mississippi, the municipal court is a lower level with civil and criminal jurisdiction within a town or municipality. Municipal courts will have a small area of influence and have limited authority as well, dealing only with petty crimes and misdemeanor charges.
What does the municipal court handle in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi?
Depending on the area of the municipality, a municipal court can handle a civil division (cases with less than $15,000 at issue), a traffic/criminal division, or a housing and environmental division. Serious cases/crimes are deal with by higher authorities.
How many judges does the Bay St. Louis Municipal Court have?
The count of judges depends on the municipality’s population.
How are cases heard in municipal courts in Mississippi?
A municipal courthouse judge may be either elected or appointed to serve for a set term of years or until retirement. Judges are commonly elected by precincts with each precinct’s results judged based on the number of people. Municipal judges are generally not lawyers but have some legal training and must finish several hours of ongoing courses every year to maintain their credentials.