Court Schedule & Appearances

Guidelines for Appearing in Court

If you are scheduled to appear in court, it is best to arrive a few minutes early. The Court requests that when defendants do appear in court that they sit quietly and without disruption until they are called to the bench.

Please be respectful during court sessions. Make sure cell phones and other media are turned off. Food and drinks are not permitted during court sessions.

When You Are Required to Appear

Defendants are required to appear before the court on all misdemeanor charges and some traffic-infraction charges unless otherwise noted on the back of the citation received from the police officer. Tickets such as speeding, failure to yield stop sign, minor in possession of cigarettes or tobacco products, etc., can be paid to the Municipal Court Clerk on or before the scheduled court appearance date.

If payment is made prior to court, then an appearance is not required. When you receive a traffic ticket or notice to appear for a serious or misdemeanor offense (i.e. drive while driver’s license is suspended, revoked or in violation of restrictions, no driver’s license in possession, DUI, any alcohol/drug related and all battery charges), your appearance is required.

Failure to appear will result in a warrant being issued for your arrest, as well as notification of possible suspension of your driver’s license depending upon your charge.

Defendant's Right To An Attorney

Each defendant has a right to be represented by an attorney in all phases of his/her court proceedings. A defendant may retain an attorney of his/her choosing, or if determined to be indigent, have a court appoint an attorney to represent him/her. The court is not obligated to appoint an attorney to represent a defendant on a charge that carries no potential jail time.

A defendant must further complete an Affidavit of Indigence sworn before the court as to his/her financial situation. Based on this information, the Judge will then determine if a defendant is eligible for a court-appointed attorney. Court-appointed attorneys are not free attorneys. They are appointed by the Court to represent defendants at a reduced rate.

The amount charged is dependent upon the charges filed against the defendant. If convicted, the defendant will be ordered to repay the City for his/her court-appointed attorney fees.