Noxubee County Criminal Court

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

Prosecutor in Noxubee County

In Noxubee County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Noxubee County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Mississippi. For the most part, the prosecutor in Noxubee County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.

What happens in Noxubee County at an arraignment?

In Noxubee 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.

Noxubee County Criminal Court

Noxubee County Criminal Court

Mandatory Appearances in Noxubee County Criminal Court

At a mandatory or required court appearance in Noxubee 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 Criminal Conviciton

A defendant may appeal a criminal conviction to an appellate court. In an appeal, the actual trial is not redone, but the appellate court hears arguments that the criminal case was not handled in a legal manner at the original criminal court. The appellate court can either uphold the conviction, or determine that errors were made and may request a retrial, a resentencing of the defendant or that the charges be dismissed.

If guilty, who sentences the defendant?

If the defendant is found guilty after the trial, the defendent will be sentenced. In some cases, this can occur at the same hearing the defendant is found guilty in court, in other cases a separate hearing will be required. Often the prosecution will request a particular sentence for the defendant and the judge will determine whether to enforce this sentence or impose a different sentence for the defendant.

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.

Who can help me in Noxubee County?

For general information about your case the Noxubee County court clerk will be able to provide legal information about your specific criminal case. Legal information is not legal advice though, the court clerk will only be able to provide information about your case, like date/time of hearings what will occur at the hearing and what you may be required to do in the hearing. They cannot provide advice about what you should do or what the best legal options may be for your particular case. Only an attorney can provide legal advice and this is your best place for information about your specific criminal proceeding. If you cannot afford to hire a private attorney to represent you, a judge will appoint an attorney to represent you, this is most often a public defender.

Burden of Proof

The burden of proof is always on the prosecution in a criminal trial. In other words, the prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime. The defense must only prove that there is a reasonable possibility that the defendant did NOT commit the crime. If the prosecution cannot prove that the defendant committed the crime beyond a reasonable doubt, the jury will be instructed to find the defendant not-guilty.

The Right to Trial by Jury

The Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right to a trial by a jury. This is applicable for when the crime can carry a sentence of 6 months in jail OR a $500 fine, these are known as “Serious Crimes”. The defendant can also waive their right to a speedy and public trial.

Jury Deliberation

In a jury trial in Noxubee County, after both the prosecution and defense have rested, the judge will give instructions to the jury and jury deliberations will begin. The jury will convence in a private room to discuss and deliberate the innocence or guilt of the defendant. Once the jury arrives at a unimanous decision, they will inform the judge that they have reached a decision. They will return to the court and the verdict will be read aloud. If the jury cannot reach a unaminous decision, the jury is said to be deadlocked and a mistrial will be declared in the case.

Where will Noxubee County criminal case hearings take place?

Criminal cases will take place at the criminal courts of Noxubee County. See here for the location of the criminal courts in Noxubee County.

Can I request a Plea Agreement?

In Noxubee 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.

Noxubee County Criminal Court Locations

  • Noxubee County Circuit Court

    Address: 505 S Jefferson St, Macon MS 39341
    Phone: 662-726-5737 Fax: 662-726-6041

  • Noxubee County Chancery Court

    Address: 505 S Jefferson St, Macon MS 39341
    Phone: 662-726-4243 Fax: 662-726-2272

  • Noxubee County Youth Court

    Address: 505 S Jefferson St, PO Box 147, Macon MS 39341
    Phone: 662-726-4243 Fax: 662-726-2272

  • Noxubee County Justice Court

    Address: 507 S Jefferson St, PO Box 550, Macon MS 39341
    Phone: 662-726-5834 Fax: 662-726-2944

  • Brooksville Municipal Court

    Address: PO Box 256, Brooksville MS 39739
    Phone: 662-738-5531 Fax: 662-738-5020

  • Macon Municipal Court

    Address: PO Box 29, Macon MS 39341
    Phone: 662-726-2918 Fax: 662-726-2409

  • Shuqualak Municipal Court

    Address: PO Box 64, Shuqualak MS 39361
    Phone: 662-793-4521 Fax: 662-793-4521

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.