A municipal court is a court with small area of authority over criminal offenses and civil disputes inside its geographic area. These courts can be found at the county or city level.
Scranton Municipal Court INformation
Court: Scranton Municipal Court
Address: “120 West Boone Street, PO Box 218, Scranton, KS 66537”
Phone: 785-793-2414
City: Scranton
County: Osage
State: Kansas
What is the purpose of the Scranton Municipal Court?
Municipal Courts are commonly called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” Which means that they deal with minor criminal charges, civil disputes, and traffic incidents. Courts like Scranton 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 divorce or other family matters, accident cases, more serious criminal charges, 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 felonies and more expansive civil matters.
TYPES OF affairs HEARD IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Scranton, Kansas
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 expenditures. The matters that will be heard by a municipal court depend on the municipality, but typically include traffic crimes, low level crimes and code infractions.
You will not see a set definition for what constitutes a misdemeanor charge 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
what is the procedure for cases in the municipal court in Scranton?
Magistrates preside over hearings to determine:
- Probable cause for arrest
- Set bail amounts and conditions of release
- Conduct arraignment hearings when charges are filed against suspects by police officers
- Issue search warrants to law enforcement officers in order to seize evidence from crime locations
- start preliminary examinations to understand if there is enough evidence to charge
The Process of a Municipal Court Case
First Step: Issuance of Summons
Second Step: Appearance before Judge or Magistrate
Municipal Court Penalties in Scranton, KS
Penalties change often, which is why it’s good to speak with licensed attorney near you. The material below represents common penalties, but may not be 100% accurate for the Scranton Municipal Court.
A violation is a crime that carries a penalty of $500 or below, while a misdemeanor can possess penalties up to $1,000.00 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 prescription for it then you will be fined up to $2k or spend up to six months in jail.
Scranton Municipal Court Records
Municipal Court records from a municipal government may 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 charge they have in front of the court, where it’s at in the process, and what kind of of information is required by law to be available.
FAQs ABOUT the Scranton Municipal Court
What is municipal court in Scranton, Kansas?
In Kansas, the municipal court is a lower court with civil and criminal jurisdiction 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 Scranton, Kansas?
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 Scranton Municipal Court have?
The count of judges depends on the municipality’s size.
How are cases heard in municipal courts in Kansas?
A municipal court judge may be either elected or appointed to serve for a set term of years or until they retire. Judges are sometimes elected by the people with each precinct’s results judged according to the number of people. Municipal judges are generally not lawyers but have some legal education and must complete many hours of ongoing courses every year to maintain their credentials.