Tunica County Criminal Court

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

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 Tunica County?

For general information about your case the Tunica 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.

Tunica County Criminal Court

Tunica County Criminal Court

Mandatory Appearances in Tunica County Criminal Court

At a mandatory or required court appearance in Tunica 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.

Tunica County Criminal Court locations

Criminal proceedings take place in the Tunica County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.

Who is the prosecutor for Tunica County?

Depending upon the case, the prosecutor for Tunica County criminal cases will either be a representative of Tunica County or a representative from Mississippi. After reviewing evidence it is the prosecutor’s decision whether to file charges or drop a case. Most prosecutors have the ability to negotiate plea bargains, and determine how the case will be prosecuted.

Sentencing in Tunica County

In Tunica County if the defendant is found guilty (by trial or plea), the defendant will be sentenced. This sometimes occurrs immediately after being found guilty, but can also take place at a later date. In most instances, a judge will impose the sentence that is requested by the prosecution, but they also have the descretion to impose a different sentence.

Tunica County Arraignments

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Tunica County Criminal Court Locations

  • Tunica County Circuit Court

    Address: 1300 School Street, PO Box 184, Tunica MS 38676
    Phone: 662-363-2842 Fax: 662-363-2413

  • Tunica County Chancery Court

    Address: 1300 School Street, PO Box 217, Tunica MS 38676
    Phone: 662-363-2451 Fax: 662-357-5934

  • Tunica County Youth Court

    Address: 1300 School Street, PO Box 217, Tunica MS 38676
    Phone: 662-363-2451 Fax: 662-357-5934

  • Tunica County Justice Court

    Address: 5130 Old Mhoon Landing Rd, Tunica MS 38676
    Phone: 662-363-2178 Fax: 662-363-4234

  • Tunica Municipal Court

    Address: 1196 Edwards Ave, PO Box 395, Tunica MS 38676
    Phone: 662-363-2400 Fax: 662-363-2496

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