It is important to understand how the Cottonwood Municipal Court handles cases like yours in order to prepare for your upcoming court date, and a skilled Cottonwood criminal defense attorney from Steven George Law can assist you in securing a favorable outcome. Facing traffic crime or misdemeanor charges can be overwhelming, but with an experienced attorney on your side it is possible to have your charges reduced to a lesser offense or even entirely dismissed.
Cottonwood Municipal Court Contact Information
Cottonwood Municipal Court is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The court is closed on holidays. If you have a court date scheduled, you must appear at the following address:
Cottonwood Municipal Court
665 East Mingus Avenue
Cottonwood, AZ 86326
You can reach the courthouse by calling 928-634-7537.
The following information is about how Cottonwood Municipal Court handles certain types of offenses, your individual rights, and what you can expect from your court appearance.
What Happens When You Receive a Traffic Ticket or Misdemeanor Charge in Cottonwood
The Cottonwood Municipal Court handles civil traffic offenses, criminal misdemeanors, criminal traffic offenses, harassment injunctions/orders of protection, juvenile offenses, search warrants, warrants and petty offenses committed within the town limits in Cottonwood, Arizona. If you have recently received a citation for a traffic offense, or if you have misdemeanor charges within the Town of Cottonwood and have been ordered to appear in Cottonwood Municipal Court, you will have received a court date and time on your citation or summons.
If you have been issued a traffic citation the following information is important to you.
You must respond to the court on or before the “Notice to Appear” date shown on the front of the citation. Failure to do so may result in a warrant being issued for your arrest and/or suspension of your driver’s license, a monetary default judgment (could be sent to collections or be subject to a tax interception), and a late payment fee.
- It is recommended that you bring the following items with you if you appear in person at the counter or in court for a hearing or trial.
- Citation you were issued
- Arizona driver’s license
- Registration
- Proof of insurance
Civil Traffic Citations
There are three different options for responding to a civil traffic citation. You must notify the court of your choice by the date on the citation, or you will need to appear.
- OPTION ONE: Diversion of Charge
If a charge on your complaint is marked as civil traffic, and you are eligible to attend a class, that charge will be dismissed. No points will be placed on your driving record. You will pay a registration fee to attend.
- OPTION TWO: Deny Responsibility and Request a Hearing
If you received a civil traffic ticket you may request a Hearing. You may bring witnesses and present your case before a judge. If you request a hearing, you give up the option of attending a defensive driving class.
- OPTION THREE: Pay the Fine
You may admit responsibility by paying the fine and you will not be required to appear in court. Each civil offense is accompanied by a fine or sanction amount, which must be paid in full on or before the assigned court date. You can refer to the bond card that may have been given to you by the citing officer.
There are three ways to pay your fine:
In person – Cash, checks, money orders, MasterCard or VISA are accepted Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except on weekends and Holidays.
By mail: Waive your right to a hearing, enter a plea of responsible and pay the sanction. You do not have to appear in court.
Online or by telephone: Waive your right to a hearing, enter a plea of responsible and pay the sanction. You do not have to appear in court. You may pay online, or call Court at 877-685-4496.
Criminal Citations
If the offense on your citation/ticket is listed as a criminal violation, you must appear in court at the date and time specified on your citation.
Court Appearances
It is very important to be on time for your court appearance. Be sure to allow ample time for traffic and parking.
You must check in at the front window when you arrive for court. Your appearance and conduct are important when coming to court. All persons present in the Courtroom shall be clean, neat and dressed in an appropriate manner, and conduct themselves in a respectful manner. Types of clothing that are not allowed are shorts, hats, muscle shirts, tank tops, midriffs, tee shirts or other clothing items displaying offensive, vulgar, racist, sexist, gang related, obscene language and/or graphics and provocative clothing styled or worn to disrupt/distract.
Everyone who visits the Court must pass through a metal detector and place all personal belongings through an X-ray machine. Security Staff are responsible for screening all persons entering the courthouse, and all persons are subject to search. No weapons of any kind are allowed in the court building. Items such as pocketknives, scissors or anything deemed as unacceptable will be confiscated upon entry to the building or you will need to secure these items in your vehicle.
Additional requirements concerning court appearances can be found at Courtroom-Conduct.
Arraignment in Cottonwood Municipal Court
If you have been cited for a criminal misdemeanor offense, you must appear at the Cottonwood Municipal Court on the designated court date and time. At a criminal arraignment, you are advised of the charges pending against you. If you plead guilty or are found guilty, all fines assessed are due on the same day.
An arraignment is a court appearance in which you are formally notified of the charges that have been filed against you. There are basically three options:
- Plead guilty or no contest to the judge. The judge may pronounce the sentence at that time or schedule sentencing for another day.
- Plead not guilty and get a new court date for a pretrial conference.You may enter into a diversion agreement, if eligible. Diversion means that the State will agree to suspend
- prosecution for a set period of time and the charge(s) may be dismissed if the diversion requirements are successfully met.
If you choose to plead not guilty, the Court will set a pretrial conference where you will have the opportunity to talk with a City Prosecutor to discuss possible plea negotiations. Be aware that the City Prosecutor is not your attorney, and he/she is prohibited from providing you with legal advice on how your case should be handled. A skilled criminal defense attorney from Steven George Law can assist you during this stressful time.
Pre-Trial Conference
Your pre-trial conference is an opportunity for your attorney to check in with the prosecutor on the status of the case. This can include discussing any outstanding discovery issues, and whether the charges against you can be reduced to a less serious offense or dismissed entirely. The prosecutor may offer a settlement in exchange for receiving a lesser sentence. After consulting with your attorney, you will have the option of accepting or rejecting the prosecutor’s settlement offer. If you reject the prosecutor’s settlement offer, your case will eventually go to trial.
Cottonwood Municipal Court Trials
Depending on the type of crime you were accused of committing, your case could be heard by a jury or the presiding judge. The prosecutor is required to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to secure a conviction, according to the Arizona Judicial Branch’s Criminal Trial Process. If you are found not guilty, you will be released without penalty. However, if you are found guilty, you will be sentenced either immediately or at a later date.
If you are facing charges in Cottonwood Municipal Court, do not wait to reach out to Steven George Law.
Steven George Law has experience defending against charges brought by the government in Cottonwood Municipal Court, and we stand ready to protect your rights. If you or a loved one are facing criminal charges and would like a free consultation with a passionate and knowledgeable criminal defense attorney, call or text (480) 363-0090 to get the answers you need.
