Alcorn County Criminal Court

Alcorn County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Alcorn County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Alcorn County.

Alcorn County Required Court Appearances

In Alcorn County, there are both required and non-required court appearances for the defendant. At a required or mandatory appearance hearing, the defendant is required to appear in person before the court. Failing to appear at your required hearing may result in a bench warrant being issued for your arrest by the judge.

What happens in Alcorn County at an arraignment?

In Alcorn County the defendant is brought into court and informed by the judge of the charges that have been filed against them along with informing them of their rights. At this time, the defendant can plead guilty, not guilty or no contest. If the defendant pleads guilty or no contest, there will be no trial and the defendant may be sentenced immediately or at a later date. If the defendant pleads not guilty a trial date is set.

Alcorn County Criminal Court

Alcorn County Criminal Court

Can I appeal a guilty verdict?

If found guilty, a defendant may decide to appeal his case to an appelate court. The appellate court will not retry the case, they will examine the proceedings in the lower court to make sure they were done in a legal manner. The appellate court can either uphold the original conviction, or determine that due to errors made in the original trial, that there must be a retrial, resentencing or a complete dismissal of the charges.

Alcorn County Criminal Court locations

Criminal proceedings take place in the Alcorn County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.

Plea Agreements

A Plea Agreement, sometimes known as a Plea Bargain is an agreement between the prosecution and the defendant, where the defendant pleads guilty or no contest often in exchange for a lesser charge or lighter recommended sentence. A large majority of criminal cases end in a plea agreement. In Alcorn County you can inform your attorney to negotiate with the prosecution to attempt to come to a plea agreement, but this is dependent upon the charge severity and also the prosecutors willingness to accept a plea deal.

Jury by Trial Right

The US Constitution (Article 3 along with the 6th Amendment) ensures an accused defendant the right to a jury trial. This applies to crimes that have a $500 fine or a potential sentence of six months in jail (aka Serious Crimes). This right to trial by jury can also be waived by a defendant.

Sentencing in Alcorn County

In Alcorn County if the defendant is found guilty (by trial or plea), the defendant will be sentenced. This sometimes occurrs immediately after being found guilty, but can also take place at a later date. In most instances, a judge will impose the sentence that is requested by the prosecution, but they also have the descretion to impose a different sentence.

What if I can’t afford an attorney?

The 6th Amendment guarantees you the right to an attorney whether or not you can afford one. If you cannot afford one, a public defender will be appointed by the court to represent you.

Burden of Proof Requirement

In a criminal case in the United States, the burden of proof always requires the prosecutor to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty. This is a high threshold that must be met by the prosecution when presenting evidence in a case. If the prosecution fails in it’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt the judge must find the defendant not guilty. In a jury trial, the judge will inform the jury what this burden is and their obligation to find the defendant not guilty if they feel the prosecution did prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

What is Jury Deliberation?

After both the prosecution and defense have presented their cases, the judge in the case will provide instructions to the jury about what they must decide. The jury will be dismissed to the jury room where they will deliberate about the guilt or innocence of the defendant. After reaching a unaminous decision, they return their decision to the court where it is read aloud in the courtroom. If the jury is unable to reach a unaminous decision, the jury is deadlocked, also known as a hung jury, in which a mistrial will be declared.

Alcorn County Prosecutor

For criminal cases in Alcorn County, the prosecutor will be a representative of Alcorn County. The Alcorn County prosecutor reviews all evidence and ultimately decides whether to file or dismiss charges in the case. Most of the time, the prosecutor has leeway in plea negotiations and determines how the case will be prosecuted.

Where can I get help for my Alcorn County criminal case?

The 6th amendment of the United States Constitution provides a criminal defendant with the right to an attorney. As read in the miranda rights, this means that if a defendant cannot afford to hire a private attorney a legal attorney will be appointed to the defendant to represent him at no cost to the defendant. This is often a public defender. In addition, the court clerk for Alcorn County will also be able to provide general information about a specific criminal case. The clerk can only provide information and is not an attorney so they cannot provide legal advice, only a licensed attorney can provide legal advice about what the best options for are for your particular case.

Alcorn County Criminal Court Locations

  • Alcorn County Circuit Court

    Address: 600 Waldron St, PO Box 430, Corinth MS 38835
    Phone: 662-286-7740 Fax: 662-286-7767

  • Alcorn County Chancery Court

    Address: 501 Waldron St, PO Box 69, Corinth MS 38835
    Phone: 662-286-7700 Fax: 662-286-7706

  • Alcorn County Youth Court

    Address: 600 E Waldron St, Corinth MS 38835
    Phone: 662-286-7757

  • Alcorn County Justice Court

    Address: 600 Waldron St, PO Box 226, Corinth MS 38835
    Phone: 662-286-7777 Fax: 662-286-2157

  • Corinth Municipal Court

    Address: 300 Childs St, PO Box 669, Corinth MS 38835
    Phone: 662-286-2236 Fax: 662-286-1315

  • Farmington Municipal Court

    Address: PO Box 2796, Corinth MS 38835
    Phone: 662-665-9647 Fax: 662-665-0067

  • Kossuth Municipal Court

    Address: PO Box 8004, Kossuth MS 38834
    Phone: 601-287-1459

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