A municipal court is a court with limited jurisdiction over criminal charges and civil matters within its geographic area. These courts can be found at the city or county tier.
Nolensville Municipal Court INformation
Court: Nolensville Municipal Court
Address: “7218 Nolensville Road, PO Box 547, Nolensville, TN 37135”
Phone: 615-776-6684
City: Nolensville
County: Williamson
State: Tennessee
What is the role of the Nolensville Municipal Court?
Municipal Courts are routinely called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” Which means that they deal with minor crimes, civil matters, and traffic violations. Courts like Nolensville Municipal Court are the first level of court for this group of matters.
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 matters, injury cases, more serious criminal charges, or lawsuits.
County courts have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil actions that can not exceed the amount of $15,000.00, while the circuits courts handle felony cases and more expansive civil matters.
TYPES OF Legal Matters adjudicated IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Nolensville, 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 places share municipal courts with other municipalities.
This can be done to better assist their population or to save money on overhead costs. The matters that could be heard by a municipal court vary depending on the municipality, but typically include traffic tickets, small criminal charges and code violations.
You will not see a set definition for what establishes a misdemeanor charge versus a felony, 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 handled in the municipal court in Nolensville?
Magistrates manage hearings to determine:
- Probable cause for an arrest
- Set bail amounts and terms of release
- Conduct arraignment hearings when charges are filed against individuals by police officers
- Distribute search warrants to law enforcement officers in order to protect evidence from crime scenes
- start preliminary inquiries to understand if there is enough evidence to issue a charge
The usual process of a Municipal Court matter
First Step: An Issuance of Summons
Step Two: Show Up before Judge or Magistrate
Municipal Court Penalties in Nolensville, TN
Penalties change often, which is why it’s best to speak with licensed attorney. The information below represents common penalties, but may not be accurate for the Nolensville Municipal Court.
A violation is a crime that carries a penalty of $500 or below, while a misdemeanor charge can possess 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 offenses. For example, if you are caught with marijuana without having a license for it then you could be fined up to $2,000 or spend up to six months in jail.
Nolensville Municipal Court Records
Municipal Court records from a municipal court could 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, what stage it is at in the process, and what type of information is required by law to be present.
Questions ABOUT the Nolensville Municipal Court
What is municipal court in Nolensville, Tennessee?
In Tennessee, the municipal court is a lower court with civil and criminal matters within a town or municipality. Municipal courts have a small jurisdiction and have limited authority as well, dealing only with petty crimes and misdemeanor crimes.
What does the municipal court handle in Nolensville, 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. More serious cases/crimes are deal with by higher authorities.
How many judges does the Nolensville 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 term of years or until retirement. Judges are sometimes chosen by the people with each precinct’s results judged based on the number of people. Municipal judges are often not attorneys but have some legal education and must complete many hours of continuing material every year to maintain their credentials.