Overview

When a citation is issued, the officer will assign a court date. Some citations can be paid prior to court. If your citation is a violation that can be paid in advance, payment must be completed prior to the assigned court date or you will need to appear at the scheduled court date and time. 
 
If a defendant wants to pay his or her ticket on the day of court, he or she must wait for his or her turn in the arraignment docket to proceed to the cashier. It is advised that payment be made prior to the court date.

Prior to Your Court Date

Prior to your assigned court date, a defendant or defendant's attorney may call City Hall and request to be placed on the prosecutor's plea docket. The plea docket allows defendants the opportunity to discuss their case with the prosecuting attorney and determine if their case is eligible for an amendment, diversion, reduced fine, reduced jail time, or dismissal.

The plea docket is held at the same time as the arraignment docket.

Before your assigned court date, you may request a continuance. The court clerk is authorized to give one continuance.

Right to an Attorney

In all cases, you have the right to be represented by an attorney. You do not need an attorney to plead not guilty and may represent yourself.

When you are charged with an offense that could result in jail time, you must decide if you want to continue with an attorney. If you decide to proceed without an attorney, you will be asked to sign a waiver.

You may only request a court-appointed attorney if you are indigent and may go to jail. If you want an attorney but cannot afford one, an attorney may be appointed to you by the court. The judge will determine your eligibility based on your financial need.

At Court

At court, arraignment cases will be called in order of arrival. The charges and their potential penalties will be explained to each defendant. The defendant will have the opportunity to plead guilty, no contest or not guilty. By pleading No Contest, you indicate that you do not wish to contest the City's charge against you. A plea of No Contest normally cannot be used against you in a civil suit for damages.

If a not guilty plea is entered, the Judge will set the case for a non-jury trial at a later date. If a guilty or no-contest plea is given, the Judge will proceed directly to sentencing. If a payment is required, the defendant shall proceed to the court clerk for payment options.

Payments and Reduced Violations

Defendants seeking to have traffic infractions reduced to non-moving violations may call the Municipal Court Clerk at (913) 592-3624 for more information. All amended charges must be paid in full at the time of the amendment. Amended cases are not eligible for payment plans.

If a defendant is unable to pay at the time of sentencing on a guilty plea or judgment, a payment arrangement may be made. The City accepts credit cards, echecks, checks, money orders and cash.