Simpson County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Simpson County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Simpson County.
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 Simpson 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.
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.
Simpson County Criminal Court
Mandatory Appearances in Simpson County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Simpson 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.
Simpson County Prosecutor
For criminal cases in Simpson County, the prosecutor will be a representative of Simpson County. The Simpson 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.
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.
What happens in Simpson County at an arraignment?
In Simpson 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.
Right to Jury Trial
For “Serious Crimes”, those that can have a potential penalty of 6 months in jail OR a minimum $500 penalty, the US Constitution guarantees a right to trial by jury. This is guaranteed by Article III of the Constitution and the 6th Amendment. The accused has the ability to waive their right to trial by jury.
Simpson County Criminal Court locations
Criminal proceedings take place in the Simpson County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.
The Right to Counsel
The Fifth and Sixth Amendments to the U.s. Constitution give defendants in criminal cases the right to counsel/attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney one will be appointed to represent you. Like other rights a defendant has, this one can be waived as well and alternatively you can choose to represent yourself.
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.
Where can I get help for my Simpson 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 Simpson 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.
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.
Simpson County Criminal Court Locations
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Simpson County Circuit Court
Address: 100 Court St, PO Box 307, Mendenhall MS 39114
Phone: 601-847-2474 Fax: 601-847-4011 -
Simpson County Chancery Court
Address: 111 W Pine Ave, PO Box 367, Mendenhall MS 39114
Phone: 601-847-2626 Fax: 601-847-7016 -
Simpson County Youth Court
Address: 111 W Pine Ave, PO Box 367, Mendenhall MS 39114
Phone: 601-847-2626 Fax: 601-847-7016 -
Simpson County Justice Court
Address: 1498 Simpson Hwy 149, Mendenhall MS 39114
Phone: 601-847-5848 Fax: 601-847-5856 -
D’Lo Municipal Court
Address: 2158 Simpson Hwy 149, PO Box 100, D’Lo MS 39062
Phone: 601-847-1721 Fax: 601-847-1721 -
Magee Municipal Court
Address: 123 Main Ave N, Magee MS 39111
Phone: 601-849-3344 Fax: 601-849-6461 -
Mendenhall Municipal Court
Address: 172 W Maude Ave, PO Box 487, Mendenhall MS 39114
Phone: 601-847-2681 Fax: 601-847-1821