Tate County Criminal Court

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

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.

Tate County Arraignments

An arraignment is a court hearing. In Tate County this is the first thing that will happen in a criminal case. The defendant will be brought before a judge in Tate 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 Tate 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.

Tate County Criminal Court

Tate County Criminal Court

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.

I need help for my Tate County criminal case

The best place to get information about your criminal case is from an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, the court will appoint one to represent you which will assist in your case. For general information about your case the Tate County court clerk is able to provide general information about your specific case (e.g. date/time hearings, mandatory appearance, what will take place and what you will be required to do). The court clerk for Tate County will NOT be able to provide legal advice for your case, only an attorney can provide legal advice. The court clerk can provide legal information (like the information found on this website) about your case but cannot provide advice about what you should do in your legal manner.

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.

Required Court Appearances in Tate County

Any required court appearances in Tate County Criminal Court must be attended by the defendant. Failure to appear in court at your required date and time may result in the judge issuing an arrest warrant.

Prosecutor in Tate County

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

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.

Tate County Criminal Court hearings

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

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 is a Plea Agreement?

A plea agreement is a deal made between the prosecution and the defendant in a case, where the defendant agrees to plea guilty to a particular charge in exchange for some concession from the prosecutor. In practice, more than 90% of criminal cases end with a plea agreement.

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.

Tate County Criminal Court Locations

  • Tate County Circuit Court

    Address: 201 Ward St, Senatobia MS 38868
    Phone: 662-562-5211 Fax: 662-562-7486

  • Tate County Chancery Court

    Address: 201 Ward St, Senatobia MS 38668
    Phone: 662-562-5661 Fax: 662-560-6205

  • Tate County Youth Court

    Address: 201 Ward St, Senatobia MS 38668
    Phone: 662-562-5661 Fax: 662-560-6205

  • Tate County Justice Court

    Address: 103 Preston McKay Dr, Senatobia MS 38668
    Phone: 662-562-7626 Fax: 662-562-7663

  • Coldwater Municipal Court

    Address: PO Box 352, Coldwater MS 38618
    Phone: 662-622-7241

  • Senatobia Municipal Court

    Address: 131 N Front St, Senatobia MS 38668
    Phone: 662-562-5057 Fax: 662-560-0355

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