Scott County Criminal Court

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

Mandatory Appearances in Scott County Criminal Court

At a mandatory or required court appearance in Scott 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.

Scott County Criminal Court

Scott County Criminal Court

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.

Scott County Criminal Court hearings

Criminal hearings in Scott County will take place at the Scott County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Scott County Criminal Court Locations.

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.

Where can I get help for my Scott 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 Scott 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.

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.

Scott County Prosecutor

For criminal cases in Scott County, the prosecutor will be a representative of Scott County. The Scott 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.

Can I request a Plea Agreement?

In Scott 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.

What is the Burden of Proof?

The term “Burden of Proof” means that the prosecutor is required to prove the guilt of the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt. If the prosecutor cannot provide proof of the defendants guilt, then the judge or jury in a trial must find the defendant not guilty. In the United States the principle innocent until proven guilty derives from this that the defendant is assumed innocent and the prosecution has the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty.

Arraignments in Scott County

During an arraignment in Scott County, a defendant appears before the court and the judge reads the charges that have been filed against the accused and also informs the defendant of his/her rights. During the arraignment in Scott County, the defendant can choose to plead one of the following 1) Guilty 2) Not Guilty or 3) No Contest. If the defendant enters a plea of Not Guilty, a date for trial is set. In the event of a Guilty or No Contest Plea in Scott County the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.

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.

Scott County Criminal Court Locations

  • Scott County Circuit Court

    Address: 100 E 1st St, PO Box 371, Forest MS 39074
    Phone: 601-469-3601 Fax: 601-469-5188

  • Scott County Chancery Court

    Address: 100 E 1st St, PO Box 630, Forest MS 39074
    Phone: 601-469-1922 Fax: 601-469-5180

  • Scott County Youth Court

    Address: 100 E 1st St, PO Box 630, Forest MS 39074
    Phone: 601-469-1922 Fax: 601-469-5180

  • Scott County Justice Court

    Address: PO Box 371, Forest MS 39074
    Phone: 601-469-4555 Fax: 601-469-5193

  • Forest Municipal Court

    Address: 850 Park Rd, Forest MS 39074
    Phone: 601-469-4141 Fax: 601-469-0893

  • Lake Municipal Court

    Address: PO Box 39, Lake MS 39092
    Phone: 601-775-3552 Fax: 601-775-3546

  • Morton Municipal Court

    Address: 97 W 1st Ave, PO Box 555, Morton MS 39117
    Phone: 601-732-8609 Fax: 601-732-7188

  • Sebastopol Municipal Court

    Address: PO Box 112, Sebastopol MS 39359
    Phone: 601-625-7200 Fax: 601-625-8538

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.