A municipal court is a court with restrictive area of authority over criminal offenses and civil disputes within its geographic area. These courts can be located at the county or city level.
Philadelphia Municipal Court INformation
Court: Philadelphia Municipal Court
Address: “525 Main St, Philadelphia, MS 39350”
Phone: 601-650-3584
City: Philadelphia
County: Neshoba
State: Mississippi
What is the role of the Philadelphia Municipal Court?
Municipal Courts are often called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” This means that they deal with minor criminal charges, civil cases, and traffic tickets. Courts like Philadelphia 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 matters, accident cases, more serious criminal infractions, or contract disputes.
County courts have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil matters that won’t exceed the amount of $15k, while the circuits courts handle felony cases and bigger civil cases.
TYPES OF Legal Matters adjudicated IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Philadelphia, 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 citizens or to save money on expenditures. The matters that will be heard by a municipal court depend on the municipality, but typically include traffic matters, low level criminal charges and code infractions.
You will not find a standard for what establishes a misdemeanor charge versus a felony case, but generally speaking felonies would require more time in jail than misdemeanor charges 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 Philadelphia?
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
- Issue search warrants to police officers in order to seize evidence from crime scenes
- start preliminary inquiries to understand if there is enough evidence to mount a charge
The typical process of a Municipal Court matter
First Step: An Issuance of Summons
Step Two: Show Up before Judge or Magistrate
Municipal Court Penalties in Philadelphia, MS
Penalties change often, which is why it’s good to speak with licensed attorney. The material below represents common penalties, but may not be accurate for the Philadelphia Municipal Court.
A violation is a crime that has a penalty of $500 or less, while a misdemeanor charge can have 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 crimes in municipal courts vary depending on the severity of an offenses. For example, if you are caught with marijuana without having a license for it then you will be fined up to $2k or spend up to six months in jail.
Philadelphia 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 matter they have before the court, what stage it is at in the process, and what kind of of information is needed by law to be available.
FAQs ABOUT the Philadelphia Municipal Court
What is municipal court in Philadelphia, Mississippi?
In Mississippi, the municipal court is a lower level with civil and criminal jurisdiction within a city or municipality. Municipal courts have a small jurisdiction and have limited authority as well, dealing only with petty crimes and misdemeanor charges.
What does the municipal court handle in Philadelphia, 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. More serious cases/crimes are handled by higher authorities.
How many judges does the Philadelphia Municipal Court have?
The count of judges depends on the municipality’s population.
How are cases heard in municipal courts in Mississippi?
A municipal courthouse judge may be either elected or appointed to serve for a set duration or until retirement. Judges are sometimes chosen by the people with each precinct’s results judged based on the number of people. Municipal magistrates are often not lawyers but have some legal education and must finish multiple hours of ongoing courses every year to maintain their licenses.