A municipal court is a court with small jurisdiction over criminal offenses and civil matters within its area. These courts can be found at the city or county level.
Booneville Municipal Court INformation
Court: Booneville Municipal Court
Address: “1901 E Chambers Dr, Ste D, Booneville, MS 38829”
Phone: 662-728-5961
City: Booneville
County: Prentiss
State: Mississippi
What is the role of the Booneville Municipal Court?
Municipal Courts are commonly called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” This means that they deal with minor crimes, civil cases, and traffic tickets. Courts like Booneville 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 divorce or other family matters, accident cases, more serious criminal charges, or lawsuits.
County courts have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil matters that can’t exceed the amount of $15,000.00, while the circuits courts handle felonies and more expansive civil cases.
TYPES OF Matters HEARD IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Booneville, Mississippi
Municipal courts are the lowest level of courthouses in the United States. They are usually found within the jurisdiction where they are located, but some locales share municipal courts with other municipalities.
This can be done to better help their citizens or to save money on administrative costs. The cases that will be heard by a municipal court vary depending on the municipality, but typically include traffic matters, low level crimes and code violations.
You will not see a set definition for what makes a misdemeanor charge versus a felony charge, but generally speaking felonies would require more time in jail than misdemeanor charges 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 Booneville?
Judges manage hearings to determine:
- Probable cause for an arrest
- Set bail amounts and conditions of release
- Conduct arraignment hearings when charges are filed against individuals by police officers
- Distribute search warrants to law enforcement officers in order to seize evidence from crime scenes
- Conduct preliminary inquiries to understand if there is enough evidence to issue a charge
The common process of a Municipal Court Case
First Step: Issuance of Summons
Second Step: Appearance before Judge or Magistrate
Municipal Court Penalties in Booneville, MS
Penalties change often, which is why it’s good to speak with licensed attorney near you. The material below represents common penalties, but may not be accurate for the Booneville Municipal Court.
A violation is a crime that has a penalty of $500 or less, while a misdemeanor charge can carry penalties up to $1000 or one year in 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 crimes. For example, if you are caught with marijuana without having a prescription for it then you could be fined up to $2k or spend up to six months in jail.
Booneville Municipal Court Records
Municipal Court records from a municipal government may be difficult to find because they are not always stored in one area or system. The records that a person might need to depend on the type of matter they have before the court, what stage it is at in the process, and what type of information is required by law to be present.
Common Questions ABOUT the Booneville Municipal Court
What is municipal court in Booneville, Mississippi?
In Mississippi, the municipal court is a lower court with civil and criminal matters within a town or municipality. Municipal courts have a small area of influence and have limited authority as well, dealing only with petty crimes and misdemeanor crimes.
What does the municipal court handle in Booneville, Mississippi?
Depending on the scope 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 Booneville Municipal Court have?
The count of judges depends on the municipality’s size.
How are cases heard in municipal courts in Mississippi?
A municipal court 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 weighted based on the number of people. Municipal magistrates are often not attorneys but have some legal training and must finish many hours of ongoing education every year to maintain their credentials.