A municipal court is a court with restrictive area of authority over criminal charges and civil matters inside its area. These courts can be located at the county or city tier.
Sardis Municipal Court INformation
Court: Sardis Municipal Court
Address: “PO Box 306, Sardis, MS 38666”
Phone: 662-487-2371
City: Sardis
County: Panola
State: Mississippi
What is the purpose of the Sardis Municipal Court?
Municipal Courts are routinely called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” This means that they deal with minor crimes, civil disputes, and traffic incidents. Courts like Sardis Municipal Court are the first level of court for this group of matters.
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 family law matters, personal injury cases, more serious criminal charges, or lawsuits.
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 matters and more expansive civil cases.
TYPES OF affairs adjudicated IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Sardis, Mississippi
Municipal courts are the entry level 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 service their population or to save money on overhead costs. The matters that could be heard by a municipal court depend on the municipality, but typically include traffic crimes, low level criminal charges and code violations.
There is no set definition for what establishes a misdemeanor versus a felony case, 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 Sardis?
Magistrates manage hearings to determine:
- Probable cause for arrest
- Set bail amounts and terms of release
- Conduct arraignment hearings when charges are filed against suspects by police officers
- Distribute search warrants to police officers in order to protect evidence from crime locations
- Conduct preliminary inquiries to learn if there is enough evidence to charge
The usual process of a Municipal Court Case
Step One: Issuance of Summons
Step Two: Appearance before Judge or Magistrate
Municipal Court Penalties in Sardis, MS
Penalties change often, which is why it’s best to speak with licensed lawyer near you. The information below represents common penalties, but may not be accurate for the Sardis Municipal Court.
A violation is an offense that has a penalty of $500 or below, while a misdemeanor charge can possess penalties up to $1,000.00 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 crimes 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 $2k or spend up to six months in jail.
Sardis Municipal Court Records
Municipal Court records from a municipal court may be difficult to find because they are not always stored in one location or system. The records that an individual 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 kind of of information is needed by law to be available.
Questions ABOUT the Sardis Municipal Court
What is municipal court in Sardis, Mississippi?
In Mississippi, the municipal court is a lower level with civil and criminal matters within a town or municipality. Municipal courts thus have a small area of influence and have limited authority as well, dealing only with petty charges and misdemeanor crimes.
What does the municipal court handle in Sardis, 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 deal with by higher authorities.
How many judges does the Sardis Municipal Court have?
The count of judges depends on the municipality’s size.
How are cases heard in municipal courts in Mississippi?
A municipal courthouse judge may be either elected or appointed to serve for a set term of years or until they retire. Judges are sometimes chosen by the people with each precinct’s results weighted according to population. Municipal magistrates are generally not attorneys but have some legal education and must finish several hours of continuing courses every year to maintain their credentials.