Collierville Municipal Court – Collierville, TN

Oct 27, 2021

A municipal court is a court with restrictive area of authority over criminal offenses and civil disputes inside its geographic area. These courts can be found at the city or county level.

Collierville Municipal Court INformation

Court: Collierville Municipal Court
Address: “101 Walnut Street, Collierville, TN 38017”
Phone: 901-457-2580

City: Collierville
County: Shelby
State: Tennessee

What is the purpose of the Collierville Municipal Court?

Municipal Courts are routinely called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” This means that they deal with minor crimes, civil cases, and traffic matters. Courthouses like Collierville Municipal Court are the first level of court for these types of cases.

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, injury cases, more serious criminal infractions, or breaches of contract.

County courts have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil actions that can not exceed the amount of $15k, while the circuits courts handle felony cases and bigger civil matters.

TYPES OF CASES adjudicated IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Collierville, Tennessee

Municipal courts are the lowest level of courthouses in the U.S.. 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 assist their people or to save money on administrative costs. The matters that could be heard by a municipal court depend on the municipality, but typically include traffic violations, small criminal charges and code violations.

You will not see a set definition for what constitutes 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 handled in the municipal court in Collierville?

Municipal courts are the first tier of the court system in the United States. They have jurisdiction over minor crimes, traffic matters, and other civil matters. Municipal courts are often known as city courts or town courts. Cases are managed by a magistrate who is usually an attorney, judge, or retired judge. Magistrates may be appointed by the mayor or city council members to serve for a specific duration.

Magistrates administer hearings to determine:

Probable cause for an arrest
Set bail amounts and terms of release
Conduct arraignment hearings when charges are filed against suspects by police officers
Issue search warrants to police officers in order to seize evidence from crime locations
start preliminary inquiries to establish if there is enough evidence to mount a charge

The common process of a Municipal Court Case

The common path of a municipal court case can be difficult to navigate. The next portion is an overview of the common items involved in a typical municipal court case.

Step One: Issuance of Summons

A court summons is sent when an individual has been charged with violating a local ordinance or state law. The person who has received the summons from the court will need to appear at their assigned time and courthouse, which is usually the municipal courtroom, to respond for the charge(s) against them. If they don’t appear, they may be found guilty anyways and could be fined up to $1k or given a jail sentence if it’s a serious enough offense.

Step Two: Show Up before Judge or Magistrate

If someone fails to respond after being summoned by the judge, there may be a warrant issued for the individual.

Municipal Court Penalties in Collierville, TN

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 100% accurate for the Collierville Municipal Court.

A violation is a crime that has a penalty of $500 or less, while a misdemeanor can have penalties up to $1,000.00 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 charges in municipal courts vary depending on the severity of an crimes. For example, if you are caught with marijuana without having a license for it then you could be fined up to $2k or spend up to six months in jail.

Collierville Municipal Court Records

Municipal Court records from a municipal court could be difficult to find because they are not always stored in one place or system. The records that an individual might need to depend on the matter they have before the court, where it’s at in the process, and what type of information is required by law to be present.

FAQs ABOUT the Collierville Municipal Court

What is municipal court in Collierville, Tennessee?

In Tennessee, the municipal court is a lower level with civil and criminal jurisdiction within a town or municipality. Municipal courts will have a small jurisdiction and have limited authority as well, dealing only with petty crimes and misdemeanor charges.

What does the municipal court handle in Collierville, Tennessee?

Depending on the size 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 Collierville Municipal Court have?

The count of judges depends on the municipality’s population.

How are cases heard in municipal courts in Tennessee?

A municipal courthouse judge may be either elected or appointed to serve for a set duration or until retirement. Judges are sometimes chosen by the people with each precinct’s results weighted according to population. Municipal magistrates are generally not attorneys but have some legal training and must finish several hours of ongoing education every period to maintain their credentials.