Municipal Court

Share This
« Back to Glossary Index

A lower state court with jurisdiction over violations of ordinances and misdemeanors

In many states, a felony criminal filing will first be filed in municipal court and then, after a grand jury indictment, be transferred to the superior court for a felony arraignment. Misdemeanors remain in municipal court through trial.

Most new deputy district attorneys begin their prosecutorial career prosecuting misdemeanor crimes in municipal court.

Related Articles

Grand Jury Indictment

April 20, 2021
The federal indictment process and the function of the federal grand jury process have received a great deal of media attention in 2023, primarily due to the Department of Justice's criminal investigations into former President Trump's alleged role in the capitol insurrection of January 6, 2021, and other crimes. What This Article Covers This article…
Read more →

Criminal Justice Systems

April 20, 2021
Each state's criminal justice system consists of legislative bodies that enact criminal laws and policing agencies that enforce them. The same is true for the federal criminal justice system. Federal and State Criminal Justice System Similarities Each state and the federal government have robust law enforcement agencies that include highly trained police officers and law…
Read more →

Criminal Court Arraignment: Rules and Process

April 20, 2021
This article will focus on arraignment rules and general practices in state courts. Each state has its own laws governing its criminal procedure and arraignment process but do not significantly differ from other states. Federal arraignment is governed by Rule 10 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. Purpose of Arraignment The historical purpose of…
Read more →

Affiliate disclosure

GotTrouble.org is a one-stop free and open consumer information and expert resource.

Our information helps guide people through the complexity of life-changing legal, financial, and emotional challenges.

One way of doing this is by providing our visitors with a wide range of third-party resources. Some of which are affiliates.

Should you visit an affiliate, we will disclose this fact, and we may earn a commission. We ask that you use your independent judgment in deciding whether an offered service or product fits your needs and purposes.

If you have questions, please get in touch with us at inquiries@GotTrouble.org.

Sponsors