A municipal court is a court with restrictive area of authority over criminal offenses and civil matters within its location. These courts can be found at the county or city tier.
Leland Municipal Court INformation
Court: Leland Municipal Court
Address: “PO Box 868, Leland, MS 38756”
Phone: 662-686-7611
City: Leland
County: Washington
State: Mississippi
What is the role of the Leland Municipal Court?
Municipal Courts are routinely called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” This means that they work with minor criminal charges, civil disputes, and traffic incidents. Courthouses like Leland Municipal Court are the first level of court for these types of cases.
On the other hand, the purpose of a county court is to deal with a large number of civil disputes within the respective region. Most cases involve family law matters, accident cases, more serious criminal infractions, or breaches of contract.
County courts have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil matters that can not exceed the amount of $15,000, while the circuits courts handle felonies and larger civil cases.
TYPES OF Legal Matters adjudicated IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Leland, Mississippi
Municipal courts are the entry 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 people or to save money on administrative costs. The cases that may be heard by a municipal court vary depending on the municipality, but typically include traffic tickets, low level criminal charges and code violations.
There is no set definition for what constitutes a misdemeanor versus a felony, 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 Leland?
Judges manage hearings to determine:
- Probable cause for arrest
- Set bail amounts and conditions of release
- Conduct arraignment hearings when charges are filed against suspects by police officers
- Distribute search warrants to law enforcement officers in order to secure evidence from crime scenes
- start preliminary examinations to understand if there is enough evidence to issue a charge
The typical process of a Municipal Court Case
First Step: An Issuance of Summons
Second Step: Show Up before Judge or Magistrate
Municipal Court Penalties in Leland, MS
Penalties change often, which is why it’s best to speak with licensed lawyer. The information below represents common penalties, but may not be accurate for the Leland Municipal Court.
A violation is a crime that has a penalty of $500 or below, 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 medical prescription for it then you will be fined up to $2,000 or spend up to six months in jail.
Leland Municipal Court Records
Municipal Court records from a municipal government could be difficult to find because they are not always stored in one place 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 kind of of information is required by law to be available.
Common Questions ABOUT the Leland Municipal Court
What is municipal court in Leland, Mississippi?
In Mississippi, the municipal court is a lower level with civil and criminal jurisdiction within a town or municipality. Municipal courts have a small jurisdiction and have limited authority as well, dealing only with petty offenses and misdemeanor charges.
What does the municipal court handle in Leland, 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 Leland Municipal Court have?
The number of judges depends on the municipality’s size.
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 sometimes chosen by precincts with each precinct’s results evaluated according to the number of people. Municipal judges are often not lawyers but have some legal education and must finish several hours of continuing education every year to maintain their credentials.