Procedures & Plea Options

Procedures:

Citations are generally uploaded within 5-7 business days. Please allow the court time to upload and process your citation prior to calling for information.

When you receive a citation, this is your notice to appear. Court appearance dates and times are indicated on the citation as well as posted on the court calendar. No additional notices will be mailed to you prior to this date and time, your court date can be found under the dockets tab. It is the Defendant’s responsibility to contact the court to seek options he/she may have available to resolve the case prior to court. Options will vary depending on many different factors including but not limited to: the type of violation, the severity of the violation, the age of the defendant, etc.

**All juveniles must appear in open court with a parent or legal guardian.**

If you fail to make prior arrangements or fail to appear in court on the appearance date, the court may issue a warrant for your arrest. You may also be charged with an additional offense of failure to appear which may result in additional fees.

 

Your Options:

Plead “No Contest” or “Guilty”

If you plead guilty, you admit to having done the act charged. You may also plead no contest, which has the same results but you do not have to admit fault or guilt. This may be helpful for any civil case involving this matter. If you choose to plead guilty or no contest, you are waiving your right to a trial.  Discuss alternatives with the judge, prosecutor, or your lawyer.

If you choose Guilty or No Contest, these are the possible outcomes:

  • The judge will enter a conviction, which will go on your criminal record. You may be ordered to pay a fine and court costs. Please note, the criminal conviction may affect your housing, job, insurance, license, or immigration.
  • You may also be eligible to request Deferred Disposition (probation), if completed successfully, will lead to your case being dismissed.
  • You may be eligible to request a Driving Safety Course. This is another option, if completed successfully, will lead to your case being dismissed.

Plead “Not Guilty”

You deny guilt of the violation in which you were accused, and the state must prove its charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

Should you choose this option, you would respond to your citation by the date and time noted and let the court know you are pleading not guilty. You will need to decide whether or not to hire an attorney to represent you. You may defend yourself, but no one other than an attorney may represent you.

Your case will then be scheduled for a Pre-Trial hearing. This is your opportunity to discuss your case with the prosecutor and explore alternative resolutions. If your case proceeds to trial, you will inform the court whether you want a trial by judge (bench trial) or jury trial. At your trial, a judge or jury will hear the evidence to determine your guilt or innocence.

  • If you are acquitted or found not guilty at trial, you will not have a record or owe payment to the court.
  • If you are ultimately found guilty at trial, the court will explain your consequences and any payments owed.

 

Failure to Appear to Court:

If you do not come to a scheduled court date, the prosecutor may file additional charges against you. These charges are misdemeanors that carry their own penalties, regardless of what happens with your original case. To avoid additional penalties, it is important to comply with scheduled court dates.