A municipal court is a court with limited jurisdiction over criminal charges and civil matters within its location. These courts can be found at the city or county level.
Wardell Municipal Court INformation
Court: Wardell Municipal Court
Address: “108 Broad Street, PO Box 1, Wardell, MO 63879”
Phone: 573-628-3500
City: Wardell
County: Pemiscot
State: Missouri
What is the role of the Wardell Municipal Court?
Municipal Courts are routinely called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” Which means that they deal with minor crimes, civil cases, and traffic incidents. Courts like Wardell 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, personal injury cases, more serious criminal infractions, or lawsuits.
County courts have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil actions that won’t exceed the amount of $15,000, while the circuits courts handle felony matters and bigger civil matters.
TYPES OF CASES HEARD IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Wardell, Missouri
Municipal courts are the entry level of courts 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 serve their people or to save money on costs. The matters that could be heard by a municipal court vary depending on the municipality, but typically include traffic crimes, criminal misdemeanors and code infractions.
You will not find a standard for what establishes a misdemeanor charge versus a felony crime, but generally speaking felonies would require more time in jail than misdemeanor crimes 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 Wardell?
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 suspects by police officers
- Issue search warrants to police officers in order to secure evidence from crime scenes
- Conduct preliminary inquiries to establish if there is enough evidence to charge
The common process of a Municipal Court matter
First Step: Issuance of Summons
Second Step: Appearance before Judge or Magistrate
Municipal Court Penalties in Wardell, MO
Penalties change often, which is why it’s best to speak with licensed attorney near you. The material below represents common penalties, but may not be 100% accurate for the Wardell Municipal Court.
A violation is a crime that carries a penalty of $500 or less, while a misdemeanor charge can carry penalties up to $1k 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 courthouses vary depending on the severity of an charges. For example, if you are caught with marijuana without having a license for it then you could be fined up to $2k or spend up to six months in jail.
Wardell Municipal Court Records
Municipal Court records from a municipal court 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 type of case they have in front of the court, where it’s at in the process, and what type of information is required by law to be present.
Common Questions ABOUT the Wardell Municipal Court
What is municipal court in Wardell, Missouri?
In Missouri, the municipal court is a lower court with civil and criminal matters within a city or municipality. Municipal courts thus have a small area of influence and have limited authority as well, dealing only with petty offenses and misdemeanors.
What does the municipal court handle in Wardell, Missouri?
Depending on the size 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 handled by higher authorities.
How many judges does the Wardell Municipal Court have?
The number of judges depends on the municipality’s population.
How are cases heard in municipal courts in Missouri?
A municipal court judge may be either elected or appointed to serve for a set duration or until retirement. Judges are commonly elected by the people with each precinct’s results weighted according to population. Municipal judges are generally not attorneys but have some legal training and must finish several hours of continuing material every year to maintain their credentials.