A municipal court is a court with limited jurisdiction over criminal offenses and civil matters within its area. These courts can be found at the city or county level.
Mathiston Municipal Court INformation
Court: Mathiston Municipal Court
Address: “PO Box 178, Mathiston, MS 39752”
Phone: 662-263-4898
City: Mathiston
County: Webster
State: Mississippi
What is the role of the Mathiston Municipal Court?
Municipal Courts are commonly called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” This means that they deal with minor criminal charges, civil disputes, and traffic incidents. Courts like Mathiston 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 divorce or other family matters, personal injury cases, more serious criminal infractions, or breaches of contract.
County courthouses have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil matters that can not exceed the amount of $15k, while the circuits courts handle felony cases and more expansive civil matters.
TYPES OF CASES seen IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Mathiston, Mississippi
Municipal courts are the bottom rung of courthouses 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 population or to save money on expenditures. The cases that may be heard by a municipal court depend on the municipality, but typically include traffic crimes, small criminal charges and code infractions.
You will not see a set definition for what makes a misdemeanor crime versus a felony crime, but generally speaking felonies would require more time in jail than misdemeanors and fines may also be higher for felonies. Traffic violations usually result in points against your driver’s license as well
What’s the process for cases in the municipal court in Mathiston?
Magistrates manage hearings to determine:
- Probable cause for an arrest
- Set bail amounts and the 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 protect evidence from crime locations
- start preliminary examinations to learn if there is enough evidence to charge
The usual process of a Municipal Court Case
First Step: Issuance of Summons
Step Two: Appearance before Judge or Magistrate
Municipal Court Penalties in Mathiston, 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 Mathiston Municipal Court.
A violation is a crime that has a penalty of $500 or less, while a misdemeanor charge 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 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.
Mathiston Municipal Court Records
Municipal Court records from a municipal government 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 case 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 Mathiston Municipal Court
What is municipal court in Mathiston, Mississippi?
In Mississippi, the municipal court is a lower court with civil and criminal jurisdiction within a city or municipality. Municipal courts have a small area of influence and have limited authority as well, dealing only with petty crimes and misdemeanors.
What does the municipal court handle in Mathiston, 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. More serious cases/crimes are deal with by higher authorities.
How many judges does the Mathiston Municipal Court have?
The number of judges depends on the municipality’s population.
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 sometimes chosen by precincts with each precinct’s results judged based on the number of people. Municipal magistrates are often not attorneys but have some legal training and must complete many hours of ongoing education every year to maintain their licenses.