Walnut Municipal Court – Walnut, MS

Oct 26, 2021

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

Walnut Municipal Court INformation

Court: Walnut Municipal Court
Address: “PO Box 540, Walnut, MS 38683”
Phone: 662-223-4405

City: Walnut
County: Tippah
State: Mississippi

What is the role of the Walnut Municipal Court?

Municipal Courts are often called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” Which means that they handle minor crimes, civil matters, and traffic matters. Courthouses like Walnut 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 courts have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil actions that can’t exceed the amount of $15k, while the circuits courts handle felony cases and bigger civil cases.

TYPES OF affairs adjudicated IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Walnut, Mississippi

Municipal courts are the bottom rung of courthouses in the United States. 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 population or to save money on administrative costs. The matters that will be heard by a municipal court depend on the municipality, but typically include traffic violations, low level criminal charges and code infractions.

You will not see a set definition for what makes a misdemeanor crime 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 Walnut?

Municipal courts are the first level of the court system in the United States. They have jurisdiction over minor crimes, traffic tickets, and other civil matters. Municipal courts are popularly known 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 board to serve for a specific duration.

Judges administer hearings to determine:

Probable cause for an arrest
Set bail amounts and conditions of release
Conduct arraignment hearings when charges are filed against individuals by police officers
Distribute search warrants to police officers in order to secure evidence from crime locations
start preliminary inquiries to establish if there is enough evidence to charge

The common process of a Municipal Court matter

The common path of a municipal court case can be difficult to navigate. The following is an overview of the steps involved in a regular municipal court case.

First Step: An Issuance of Summons

A court summons is given when someone has been charged with violating a local rule or state law. The citizen 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 don’t come, they may be found guilty in absentia and could be fined up to $1000 or given a jail term if it’s a serious enough offense.

Step Two: Show Up before Judge or Magistrate

If someone fails to respond after being summoned by the judge, there may be a warrant issued for the person.

Municipal Court Penalties in Walnut, MS

Penalties change often, which is why it’s best to speak with licensed attorney near you. The information below represents common penalties, but may not be 100% accurate for the Walnut Municipal Court.

A violation is an offense that has a penalty of $500 or below, while a misdemeanor 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 crimes. 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.

Walnut 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, what stage it is at in the process, and what type of information is required by law to be available.

Questions ABOUT the Walnut Municipal Court

What is municipal court in Walnut, Mississippi?

In Mississippi, the municipal court is a lower court with civil and criminal matters within a town or municipality. Municipal courts thus have a small jurisdiction and have limited authority as well, dealing only with petty offenses and misdemeanor charges.

What does the municipal court handle in Walnut, 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. Serious cases/crimes are deal with by higher authorities.

How many judges does the Walnut Municipal Court have?

The count of judges depends on the municipality’s size.

How are cases heard in municipal courts in Mississippi?

A municipal court 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 weighted according to the number of people. Municipal magistrates are often not lawyers but have some legal education and must finish many hours of ongoing education every year to maintain their credentials.