Lincoln County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Lincoln County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Lincoln County.
Mandatory Appearances in Lincoln County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Lincoln County, the defendant must appear before the court. In the event of a “Failure to Appear” the judge may issue a warrant for the arrest of the defendant. Note: not all criminal hearings are mandatory, in a non-mandatory hearing an attorney may appear on your behalf without you being in court.
Appealing a guilty verdict
A defendant may appeal a guilty verdict to an appellate court. This is not a request to have another trial, but a request for an appellate court to review the case and determine that it was handled in a correct legal manner. There are a number of outcomes in an appeal including an upholding of the conviction, a finding that errors were made resulting in a retrial or resentencing or possibly a complete disimissal of all charges.
Lincoln County Criminal Court
Where can I get help for my Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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.
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.
Who is the prosecutor for Lincoln County?
Depending upon the case, the prosecutor for Lincoln County criminal cases will either be a representative of Lincoln County or a representative from Mississippi. After reviewing evidence it is the prosecutor’s decision whether to file charges or drop a case. Most prosecutors have the ability to negotiate plea bargains, and determine how the case will be prosecuted.
Defendant Sentencing
At a sentence hearing the judge will inform the defendant of the sentence that will be imposed. This sometimes occurs at the same hearing in which the defendant is found guilty (either by trial or plea agreement). In can also occur at a later date, most often this is due to the complexity of the case where more time is needed to determine the appropriate sentence.
Right to an attorney
The US Constitution’s Sixth Amendment ensures the right to an attorney regardless of whether or not you can afford one. In Lincoln County a public defender will be appointed by the judge if you cannot afford private representation.
Can I request a Plea Agreement?
In Lincoln County you may be able to enter into a plea agreement depending upon the severity of the charges. It is also dependant upon the prosecution willing to accept a plea agreement. You can ask your attorney to attempt to negotiate a plea agreement with the prosecution to avoid having a jury trial along with the potential for a more serious sentence. Approximately 9 out of 10 criminal cases usually end in a plea agreement.
Lincoln County Criminal Court locations
Criminal proceedings take place in the Lincoln County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.
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.
Lincoln County Arraignments
An arraignment is a court hearing. In Lincoln County this is the first thing that will happen in a criminal case. The defendant will be brought before a judge in Lincoln County Criminal Court and the judge will read the charges that were filed against the defendant. The judge will also read the rights the defendant has and ask the defendant if they understand both the charges filed against them and their rights as a defendant in the case. In Lincoln County a plea of Guilty, Not Guilty or No Contest may be entered. In a guilty or no contest plea the sentencing of the defendant may take place at the same arraignment hearing or a later date may be scheduled for sentencing. For a not guilty plea, a date will be set for a trial.
Lincoln County Criminal Court Locations
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Lincoln County Circuit Court
Address: 301 S 1st St, PO Box 357, Brookhaven MS 39602
Phone: 601-835-3435 Fax: 601-835-3482 -
Lincoln County Chancery Court
Address: 301 S 1st St, PO Box 555, Brookhaven MS 39602
Phone: 601-835-3411 Fax: 601-835-3423 -
Lincoln County Youth Court
Address: 301 S First St, Brookhaven MS 39601
Phone: 601-835-3411 Fax: 601-835-3423 -
Lincoln County Justice Court
Address: 308 S 2nd St, PO Box 767, Brookhaven MS 39602
Phone: 601-835-3474 Fax: 601-835-3494 -
Brookhaven Municipal Court
Address: PO Box 560, Brookhaven MS 39602
Phone: 601-833-6262 Fax: 601-833-0787