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Municipal Court - Court Procedures

Appearance
When a defendant makes an appearance in court, the appearance is a formal proceeding. Defendants may make an appearance in person or by attorney in open court, by delivering a plea to the court, or by mail. A Telephone call does not constitute an appearance.

Juvenile Appearance
Defendants under the age of 17 must appear in open court with a parent or guardian for all proceedings. Marriage removes the disability of minority. Parents of defendants who are younger than 17 years of age and who are married need not be summoned.

“Parent” includes a person standing in parental relation, a managing conservator or a custodian.

Pleas
The pleas in municipal court are: Guilty, Nolo Contendere, Not Guilty

• Guilty – A plea by which a defendant confesses to the crime with which the defendant is charged, or the verdict by which a defendant is convicted.
• Nolo Contendere (No Contest) – A plea in which the defendant does not contest the charge. Nolo Contendere has the same legal effect as a guilty plea; however, it may not used against the defendant as an admission of guilt in a civil suit based upon or growing out of the act upon which the criminal prosecution is based. The offense will result in a conviction on your record.
• Not Guilty Plea – A plea in which the defendant informs the court that he or she denies guilt or has a defense in the case and that the State must prove what it has charged in the complaint. The defendant will then elect a Jury or Bench Trial.

If you plead guilty or nolo contendere, you should be prepared to pay the fine. You should contact the court regarding your options in making that payment.