§50-5-14a. Disposition Without Court Appearance
Tender of payment by a person charged by citation of the assessed fine and costs shall constitute a plea of no contest to such citation and signing of the citation by the person charged shall not be required for entry of a judgment of conviction.
§50-5-15. Failure of Defendant to Appear at Criminal Trial or Other Criminal Hearing; Compulsion of Appearance
Whenever any defendant, properly notified, fails to appear for a criminal trial or other criminal hearing before a magistrate, the magistrate may issue a capias to compel that person to appear.
§50-5-5. Privileged Communications; Persons Incompetent to Testify
No person shall be compelled to testify at any proceeding in magistrate court as to any communication privileged by law. No person shall be compelled to testify as to any matter as to which he is incompetent by law to testify.
§50-5-6. Evidentiary Depositions
In a civil action the evidentiary deposition of any witness residing out of the county or unable to attend court may be taken for use at the trial by any party upon reasonable notice to all other parties.
§50-5-7. Right to Trial in Criminal Cases
Every defendant charged in a magistrate court in a criminal proceeding which is within the jurisdiction of the court shall have the right to a trial on the merits in the magistrate court.
§50-5-8. Trial by Jury; Trial to the Court
(a) A party to a civil action in magistrate court has the right to elect that the matter be tried with a jury when the amount in controversy exceeds $20 or involves possession of real estate. The election must be made in writing at any time after the commencement of the action and not later […]
§50-5-9. Verdict and Sentence
(a) In every criminal case in which the defendant is in custody, a magistrate shall render a finding of guilty or not guilty immediately upon the conclusion of the trial or hearing. In all other proceedings, a magistrate shall render a finding of guilty or not guilty no later than the next succeeding day after […]
§50-5-10. Setting Aside Judgment
Upon motion made within twenty days after judgment by any party in a civil action or by the defendant in a criminal action, the magistrate who heard the matter or his successor or designee may, upon good cause shown, set aside judgment and order a new trial. All parties shall be given notice of such […]
§50-5-11. Contempt
A magistrate may punish for contempt of court a person guilty of any of the following acts: (a) Contemptuous or insolent behavior toward such magistrate while engaged in the trial of a case or in any other judicial proceeding; (b) Any breach of the peace, willful disturbance, or indecent conduct in the presence of such […]
§50-5-12. Appeals in Civil Cases
(a) Any person may appeal the judgment of a magistrate court to the circuit court as a matter of right by requesting such appeal not later than twenty days after such judgment is rendered or not later than twenty days after a decision is rendered upon a motion to set aside such judgment. Such person […]