A municipal court is a court with restrictive area of authority over criminal charges and civil matters within its geographic area. These courts can be found at the county or city level.
Morton Municipal Court INformation
Court: Morton Municipal Court
Address: “97 W 1st Ave, PO Box 555, Morton, MS 39117”
Phone: 601-732-8609
City: Morton
County: Scott
State: Mississippi
What is the purpose of the Morton Municipal Court?
Municipal Courts are often called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” This means that they deal with minor criminal charges, civil disputes, and traffic tickets. Courts like Morton Municipal Court are the first level of court for this group of matters.
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 family law matters, injury cases, more serious criminal charges, or breaches of contract.
County courthouses have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil matters that can not exceed the amount of $15,000, while the circuits courts handle felony cases and more expansive civil cases.
TYPES OF CASES adjudicated IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Morton, Mississippi
Municipal courts are the bottom rung of courts 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 population or to save money on costs. The matters that will be heard by a municipal court can change based on on the municipality, but typically include traffic crimes, low level crimes and code violations.
You will not find a standard for what establishes a misdemeanor 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
how are cases managed in the municipal court in Morton?
Judges administer hearings to determine:
- Probable cause for arrest
- Set bail amounts and terms of release
- Conduct arraignment hearings when charges are filed against defendants by police officers
- Distribute search warrants to law enforcement officers in order to seize evidence from crime locations
- start preliminary inquiries to understand if there is enough evidence to charge
The Process of a Municipal Court Case
Step One: Issuance of Summons
Second Step: Appearance before Judge or Magistrate
Municipal Court Penalties in Morton, MS
Penalties change often, which is why it’s best to speak with licensed lawyer. The material below represents common penalties, but may not be accurate for the Morton Municipal Court.
A violation is a crime that carries a penalty of $500 or less, while a misdemeanor crime can possess 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 charges in municipal courts vary depending on the severity of an charges. 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.
Morton Municipal Court Records
Municipal Court records from a municipal court could 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 matter they have before the court, what stage it is at in the process, and what type of information is needed by law to be present.
Questions ABOUT the Morton Municipal Court
What is municipal court in Morton, Mississippi?
In Mississippi, the municipal court is a lower level with civil and criminal matters within a town or municipality. Municipal courts will have a small location and have limited authority as well, dealing only with petty crimes and misdemeanors.
What does the municipal court handle in Morton, 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 Morton Municipal Court have?
The number 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 chosen by the people with each precinct’s results evaluated based on population. Municipal judges are generally not attorneys but have some legal training and must finish several hours of continuing education every period to maintain their licenses.