Tishomingo County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Tishomingo County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Tishomingo County.
Prosecutor in Tishomingo County
In Tishomingo County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Tishomingo County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Mississippi. For the most part, the prosecutor in Tishomingo County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.
Jury Deliberation
In a jury trial in Tishomingo 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.
Tishomingo County Criminal Court
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.
Arraignments in Tishomingo County
During an arraignment in Tishomingo 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 Tishomingo 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 Tishomingo County the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.
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.
Tishomingo County Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Tishomingo County will take place at the Tishomingo County Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Tishomingo County Criminal Court Locations.
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.
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.
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.
Mandatory Appearances in Tishomingo County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Tishomingo 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.
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.
I need help for my Tishomingo 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 Tishomingo 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 Tishomingo 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.
Tishomingo County Criminal Court Locations
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Tishomingo County Circuit Court
Address: 1008 Battleground Dr, Iuka MS 38852
Phone: 662-423-7026 Fax: 662-423-1667 -
Tishomingo County Chancery Court
Address: 1008 Battleground Dr, Iuka MS 38852
Phone: 662-423-7010 Fax: 662-423-7005 -
Tishomingo County Youth Court
Address: 1008 Battleground Dr, PO Box 773, Iuka MS 38852
Phone: 662-423-7010 Fax: 662-423-7005 -
Tishomingo County Justice Court
Address: 1008 Battleground Dr, Iuka MS 38852
Phone: 662-423-7033 Fax: 662-423-7094 -
Belmont Municipal Court
Address: PO Box 489, Belmont MS 38827
Phone: 662-454-3381 -
Burnsville Municipal Court
Address: 38 Gross Ave, PO Box 308, Burnsville MS 38833
Phone: 662-427-9526 Fax: 662-427-0001 -
Golden Municipal Court
Address: PO Box 426, Golden MS 38847
Phone: 662-454-7100 Fax: 662-454-7107 -
Iuka Municipal Court
Address: 118 S Pearl St, Iuka MS 38852
Phone: 662-423-3781 Fax: 662-423-1430 -
Tishomingo Municipal Court
Address: PO Box 70, Tishomingo MS 38873
Phone: 662-438-6402 Fax: 662-438-6403