Dandridge Municipal Court – Dandridge, TN

Oct 27, 2021

A municipal court is a court with limited jurisdiction over criminal offenses and civil disputes within its location. These courts can be found at the city or county tier.

Dandridge Municipal Court INformation

Court: Dandridge Municipal Court
Address: “267 West Highway 25-70, Dandridge, TN 37725”
Phone: 865-397-8862 ext. 21

City: Dandridge
County: Jefferson
State: Tennessee

What is the purpose of the Dandridge Municipal Court?

Municipal Courts are often called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” Which means that they work with minor crimes, civil disputes, and traffic matters. Courthouses like Dandridge Municipal Court are the first level of court for these types of cases.

In other situations, 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, personal injury, more serious criminal infractions, or contract disputes.

County courthouses have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil matters that won’t exceed the amount of $15,000, while the circuits courts handle felonies and bigger civil cases.

TYPES OF CASES seen IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Dandridge, Tennessee

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 jurisdictions share municipal courts with other municipalities.

This can be done to better assist their citizens or to save money on overhead costs. The matters that may be heard by a municipal court can change based on on the municipality, but typically include traffic matters, low level criminal charges and code violations.

You will not see a set definition for what makes a misdemeanor versus a felony, 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

what is the procedure for cases in the municipal court in Dandridge?

Municipal courts are the lowest level of the court system in the United States. They have jurisdiction over minor crimes, traffic matters, and other civil matters. Municipal courts are popularly known city courts or town courts. Matters 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 time.

Magistrates manage hearings to determine:

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

The typical process of a Municipal Court Case

The common path of a municipal court case can be difficult to navigate. The following material is an overview of the common items involved in a regular municipal court matter.

First Step: An Issuance of Summons

A summons from the court is issued when an individual has been charged with violating a local rule or state law. The individual who has received the court summons will need to be present at their assigned time and place, which is usually the municipal courtroom, to answer for the charge(s) against them. If they fail to 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.

Second Step: Show Up before Judge or Magistrate

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

Municipal Court Penalties in Dandridge, TN

Penalties change often, which is why it’s good to speak with licensed attorney. The material below represents common penalties, but may not be 100% accurate for the Dandridge Municipal Court.

A violation is an offense that carries a penalty of $500 or below, while a misdemeanor crime 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 offenses in municipal courthouses 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.

Dandridge Municipal Court Records

Municipal Court records from a municipal court may be difficult to find because they are not always stored in one location or system. The records that a person might need to depend on the type of charge they have before the court, what stage it is at in the process, and what kind of of information is required by law to be present.

Questions ABOUT the Dandridge Municipal Court

What is municipal court in Dandridge, Tennessee?

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

What does the municipal court handle in Dandridge, Tennessee?

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 Dandridge Municipal Court have?

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

How are cases heard in municipal courts in Tennessee?

A municipal court judge may be either elected or appointed to serve for a set duration or until they retire. Judges are sometimes elected by the people with each precinct’s results evaluated based on the number of people. Municipal judges are generally not lawyers but have some legal training and must finish many hours of ongoing education every year to maintain their credentials.