A municipal court is a court with small jurisdiction over criminal offenses and civil matters within its location. These courts can be located at the city or county level.
Northmoor Municipal Court INformation
Court: Northmoor Municipal Court
Address: “4907 NW Waukomis Drive, Northmoor, MO 64151”
Phone: 816-741-3896
City: Northmoor
County: Platte
State: Missouri
What is the purpose of the Northmoor Municipal Court?
Municipal Courts are commonly called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” Which means that they deal with minor crimes, civil disputes, and traffic matters. Courthouses like Northmoor Municipal Court are the first level of court for this group of matters.
In other situations, 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, injury cases, more serious criminal charges, or breaches of contract.
County courts have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil actions that won’t exceed the amount of $15,000, while the circuits courts handle felonies and larger civil matters.
TYPES OF Legal Matters seen IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Northmoor, Missouri
Municipal courts are the lowest level of courts 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 service their citizens or to save money on administrative costs. The cases that will be heard by a municipal court vary depending on the municipality, but typically include traffic violations, low level crimes and code violations.
There is no set definition for what constitutes a misdemeanor versus a felony crime, 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 managed in the municipal court in Northmoor?
Judges administer hearings to determine:
- Probable cause for arrest
- Set bail amounts and conditions of release
- Conduct arraignment hearings when charges are filed against defendants by police officers
- Distribute search warrants to police officers in order to seize evidence from crime locations
- Conduct preliminary inquiries to determine if there is enough evidence to issue a charge
The common process of a Municipal Court Case
Step One: Issuance of Summons
Second Step: Appearance before Judge or Magistrate
Municipal Court Penalties in Northmoor, MO
Penalties change often, which is why it’s best to speak with licensed lawyer near you. The material below represents common penalties, but may not be accurate for the Northmoor Municipal Court.
A violation is an offense that carries a penalty of $500 or less, while a misdemeanor charge can carry penalties up to $1k 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 medical prescription for it then you could be fined up to $2k or spend up to six months in jail.
Northmoor Municipal Court Records
Municipal Court records from a municipal government may 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 type of matter they have in front of the court, where it’s at in the process, and what type of information is needed by law to be available.
Common Questions ABOUT the Northmoor Municipal Court
What is municipal court in Northmoor, Missouri?
In Missouri, the municipal court is a lower level with civil and criminal matters within a city or municipality. Municipal courts have a small location and have limited authority as well, dealing only with petty crimes and misdemeanor charges.
What does the municipal court handle in Northmoor, Missouri?
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 handled by higher authorities.
How many judges does the Northmoor Municipal Court have?
The count of judges depends on the municipality’s size.
How are cases heard in municipal courts in Missouri?
A municipal court judge may be either elected or appointed to serve for a set duration or until they retire. Judges are commonly elected by the people with each precinct’s results weighted based on population. Municipal magistrates are generally not attorneys but have some legal training and must complete several hours of continuing courses every year to maintain their licenses.