A municipal court is a court with small area of authority over criminal charges and civil disputes inside its area. These courts can be found at the county or city tier.
Winfield Municipal Court INformation
Court: Winfield Municipal Court
Address: “200 East 9th, PO Box 646, Winfield, KS 67156”
Phone: 620-221-5500
City: Winfield
County: Cowley
State: Kansas
What is the role of the Winfield Municipal Court?
Municipal Courts are routinely called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” This means that they work with minor crimes, civil matters, and traffic incidents. Courthouses like Winfield Municipal Court are the first level of court for these types of cases.
On the other hand, 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, injury cases, more serious criminal charges, or breaches of contract.
County courts have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil actions that can not exceed the amount of $15,000, while the circuits courts handle felonies and larger civil cases.
TYPES OF Matters seen IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Winfield, 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 jurisdictions share municipal courts with other municipalities.
This can be done to better serve their population or to save money on administrative costs. The matters that could be heard by a municipal court depend on the municipality, but typically include traffic violations, criminal misdemeanors and code violations.
There is no set definition for what establishes a misdemeanor crime versus a felony charge, 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
how are cases managed in the municipal court in Winfield?
Magistrates preside over 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 examinations to understand if there is enough evidence to charge
The common process of a Municipal Court matter
Step One: Issuance of Summons
Second Step: Appearance before Judge or Magistrate
Municipal Court Penalties in Winfield, KS
Penalties change often, which is why it’s best to speak with licensed attorney. The material below represents common penalties, but may not be 100% accurate for the Winfield Municipal Court.
A violation is a crime that has a penalty of $500 or below, while a misdemeanor can carry penalties up to $1000 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 courthouses vary depending on the severity of an charges. For example, if you are caught with marijuana without having a prescription for it then you will be fined up to $2,000 or spend up to six months in jail.
Winfield Municipal Court Records
Municipal Court records from a municipal court could 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 charge 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.
FAQs ABOUT the Winfield Municipal Court
What is municipal court in Winfield, Kansas?
In Kansas, 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 crimes and misdemeanor charges.
What does the municipal court handle in Winfield, Kansas?
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 Winfield Municipal Court have?
The number 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 retirement. Judges are sometimes elected by the people with each precinct’s results weighted according to the number of people. Municipal magistrates are generally not lawyers but have some legal training and must complete multiple hours of continuing education every period to maintain their licenses.