Vardaman Municipal Court – Vardaman, MS

Oct 26, 2021

A municipal court is a court with limited area of authority over criminal charges and civil matters within its location. These courts can be located at the city or county tier.

Vardaman Municipal Court INformation

Court: Vardaman Municipal Court
Address: “135 N Main Street, PO Box 194, Vardaman, MS 38878”
Phone: 662-682-7561

City: Vardaman
County: Calhoun
State: Mississippi

What is the role of the Vardaman Municipal Court?

Municipal Courts are commonly called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” Which means that they handle minor crimes, civil matters, and traffic violations. Courts like Vardaman Municipal Court are the first level of court for this group of matters.

In other situations, the role 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, personal injury cases, more serious criminal charges, or breaches of contract.

County courthouses have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil actions that won’t exceed the amount of $15k, while the circuits courts handle felonies and larger civil cases.

TYPES OF Matters seen IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Vardaman, Mississippi

Municipal courts are the bottom rung of courthouses in the U.S.. They are usually found within the jurisdiction where they are located, but some locales share municipal courts with other municipalities.

This can be done to better service their people or to save money on costs. The cases that may be heard by a municipal court vary depending on the municipality, but typically include traffic crimes, small criminal charges and code infractions.

You will not find a standard 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

how are cases managed in the municipal court in Vardaman?

Municipal courts are the entry level of the court system in the United States. They have jurisdiction over minor crimes, traffic tickets, and other civil matters. Municipal courts are often known as city courts or town courts. Cases are handled by a magistrate who is usually an attorney, judge, or retired judge. Magistrates may be appointed by the mayor or city council members to serve for a specific duration.

Judges manage hearings to determine:

Probable cause for an arrest
Set bail amounts and terms 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 scenes
Conduct preliminary inquiries to establish if there is enough evidence to charge

The usual process of a Municipal Court matter

The common process of a municipal courthouse case can be difficult to navigate. The following is an overview of the steps involved in a typical municipal court matter.

Step One: An Issuance of Summons

A summons from the court is given when an individual has been charged with violating a city rule or state law. The individual who has received the court summons will need to be present at their assigned time and location, which is usually the municipal courtroom, to respond for the charge(s) against them. If they never appear, they may be found guilty anyways and could be fined up to $1,000.00 or given a jail term if it’s a serious enough offense.

Second Step: Appearance before Judge or Magistrate

If someone fails to show up after being summoned by the judge, there may be a warrant issued for the individual.

Municipal Court Penalties in Vardaman, MS

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 Vardaman Municipal Court.

A violation is a crime that has a penalty of $500 or less, while a misdemeanor can carry 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 charges 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 could be fined up to $2k or spend up to six months in jail.

Vardaman 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 an individual might need to depend on the matter they have before the court, where it’s at in the process, and what type of information is needed by law to be present.

FAQs ABOUT the Vardaman Municipal Court

What is municipal court in Vardaman, Mississippi?

In Mississippi, 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 Vardaman, Mississippi?

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. Serious cases/crimes are deal with by higher authorities.

How many judges does the Vardaman 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 term of years or until they retire. Judges are commonly chosen by the people with each precinct’s results judged based on the number of people. Municipal judges are often not lawyers but have some legal training and must finish several hours of continuing courses every period to maintain their credentials.