What do I do when I come to court as indicated on my citation, citation letter, bail bond receipt, or jail release form?
First you must go through security check at the entrance. Show an attendant your slip and they will tell you which court you need to go to and what floor it is on if it is not on the paper you received. Once in the court room have a seat. Names are called alphabetically, so if you are in the low part of the alphabet try to sit in the front. No eating, drinking, smoking, reading or talking are allowed in the court room once the judge enters and no cell phones – they will take them away if they ring. Once the judge enters the clerk will do roll call of everyone on the docket for that session. Then then judge will call people up one a a time to plea their case. He/She will read the charges and ask you how do you plead. Guilty or not Guilty. If you say guilty he will assess the fines and penalty and release you to go down to the cashier to pay. If you say you cannot pay you may or may not be given an extension based on circumstance, history etc. You can also plead guilty with an explanation. The judge will listen and decide if what you added to what he said has merit, then fines etc will be assessed or a request for more info etc. If you plead not guilty a date will be given for you to appear in court and defend yourself and you then leave and reappear on the assigned date.
