Initial Appearences

Rescheduling - How to make a payment - Extending Payment

Initial Appearances—Plea Options, Guilty, Not Guilty, No Contest, Continuance, Default Judgments

Do I have to appear in court?

In order to find out whether or not you need to appear in court, you should consult your ticket. On the top portion of the ticket, a box will be marked yes, for appearance required, if it is mandatory.

What to do when you arrive at the court: Check in, look at options

Once you arrive at the court, you should check in with the court officer. You should also note that the court is first come, first serve. In other words, you will be called before the Judge in the order in which you check in. The court officer will provide you with a document that outlines the pleas that you can make.

3. What happens in court?

Once you enter the courtroom, you will be asked to take a seat. When your case is called, you must come forward to the bench. The Judge will advise you of the charge(s), and it will be necessary for you to answer the charge(s) by making a formal plea. There are three types of pleas available to you:

If you enter a plea of not guilty, you will be scheduled for a pretrial conference with the City Attorney, and you will be notified by mail of your next court date. During your pretrial conference you will be able to discuss your case at that time and determine whether the matter should go to trial or be resolved by a plea agreement. If you are going to enter a not guilty plea, please advise the court officer of your plea, and you will not have to stay for the arraignment court session.

If you plead guilty, you are admitting that you violated the law and will accordingly be found guilty. A sentence will consequently will be imposed and this may include a fine and/or other penalties. Pleading guilty will give you the opportunity to explain any circumstances that you think the Judge should consider regarding your citation. The Judge cannot resolve a factual dispute at this stage of the proceedings—that would occur at a trial.

If you plead no contest, you are not contesting to the charges against you. While you are not contesting the charge, you should expect to be found guilty. This plea and finding cannot be used against you in other civil proceedings for the purpose of liability. A sentence will be imposed upon a plea of no contest. The sentence may include a find and other penalties. Pleading no contest will give you the opportunity to explain any circumstances that you think the Judge should consider regarding your citation. The Judge cannot resolve a factual dispute at this stage of the proceedings—that would occur at a trial.

In reviewing your case, the Judge will consult your driving record, criminal record, police records, and any other documents which may assist him in reaching a decision regarding your case.

If you fail to appear for a court hearing and have not contacted the court, you will be found guilty by default. As a result, a default judgment will be sent to you by mail. If you are not compliant with the imposed sentence, you may face additional consequences.