You appearance date is 10 business days from
date of violation or citation.

Appearances CANNOT be made by telephone. You can appear in person, by mail, by fax, by email (the email address HAS to have the defendant’s name on the email), or ONLINE with payment.

The Municipal Court accepts cash (IN PERSON ONLY), checks, money orders, and credit cards. Credit card payments can be made ONLINE or by calling 877-819-7083.  Court personnel CANNOT take credit card payments over the phone.

If you are unsure of your court date, you can go to PAY ONLINE to check your due date.

Court Appearance REQUIRED on the following violations. Contact the Court to schedule an appointment with the Judge or a hearing with the Prosecutor:

• Alcohol violations for minors (21 and younger) defendants under the age of 18 at the time of violation MUST appear with a parent or guardian
• Minor in Possession of Tobacco
• Theft under $100
• Assault by contact involving family violence
• All violations for a Juvenile defendant (under the age of 17 at the time of the violation)

If you fail to respond in person or in writing to the charge(s) by your appearance date, an additional charge and fine may be filed against you for Failure to Appear or Violate Promise to Appear, warrants may be issued for your arrest, and a hold placed on your driver’s license renewal. By mail, your plea must be postmarked by your appearance date.

PLEA INFORMATION

On a plea of not guilty, a formal trial will be held. As in all criminal trials, the State is required to prove the guilt of the defendant "beyond a reasonable doubt". Your decision concerning which plea to enter is very important. You should read the following explanation of the three types of pleas and think carefully before making your decision.

If you plead guilty or no contest in open court, you should be prepared to pay the fine in full or request other arrangements.

Plea of Guilty

By entering a plea of guilty you admit that the act is prohibited by law, that you committed the act charged, and that you have no defense or excuse for your act. A plea of guilty may be used against you in a civil suit if there was a traffic accident. 

Plea of Nolo contendere (no contest)

A plea of no contest means that you do not contest the state’s charge against you. A plea of no contest cannot be used against you in a subsequent civil suit for damages.

Plea of Not Guilty

 A plea of not guilty means that you are informing the Court that you deny guilt or that you have a good defense for your case. If you plead not guilty, you will need to decide whether to hire an attorney to represent you.
TRIAL PROCESS