Each court has its own procedures and processes. If you are facing allegations in Gilbert Municipal Court, knowing the process of the court specifically, as well as the inner working of the Arizona court system generally, will come in handy. Also, having a skilled and passionate Gilbert criminal defense attorney from Steven George Law can be invaluable to your case. Call Steven George Law, and an attorney will take the time to answer your questions free of charge.
If you have recently received a citation for a traffic offense or if you have misdemeanor charges within the Town of Gilbert, your case will be heard in the Gilbert Municipal Court.
The Gilbert Municipal Court handles the following types of cases:
- Misdemeanor criminal offenses, such as Driving Under the Influence, Shoplifting, Assault, Disorderly Conduct, Dog at Large, municipal code violations and commercial vehicle violations; and
- Protective orders, such as Orders of Protection and Injunctions Against Harassment; and
- Civil traffic violations, such as Speeding, No Insurance, Seatbelt violations, Improper Turns, and Child Restraint violation and Municipal Code and Land Development Code Violations
- The Gilbert Municipal Court DOES NOT handle felony cases or criminal juvenile cases. These cases are handled by the Maricopa County Superior Court.
The Town of Gilbert houses in custody people in the Gilbert-Chandler Unified Holding Facility and/or various other Maricopa County Jail facilities. If you were taken into police custody on a traffic violation or misdemeanor offense, the judge will also determine whether bail should be set and, if so, how much. If you are granted bail, you will need to pay your bail bond to secure your release. The judge will also determine what your release conditions are.
Gilbert Municipal Court Contact Information
Gilbert Municipal Court is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. It is important to note that the court is closed on Fridays. The court is also closed on holidays. If you have a court date scheduled, you must appear at the following address:
55 E. Civic Center Drive
Gilbert, AZ 85296
You can reach the courthouse by calling (480) 635-7800.
Court Appearances
Free parking is provided in the front lot of the courthouse. Upon entering the courthouse, visitors are required to pass through metal detectors and items brought into the courthouse must go through X-ray machines. Children are allowed in the courtroom. No weapons are allowed in the Court building. You should observe appropriate standards of attire. While clothing need not be formal, it should be clean, neat and in good repair. Shoes and shirts must be worn, and T-shirts which carry offensive slogans or pictures are not allowed. Hats should be removed before entering the court building.
Arraignment Dates in Gilbert Court
Under Arizona law, you can be brought to trial only after a formal citation or complaint has been filed. If you were given a citation/complaint by a police officer, the arraignment date will be the appearance date on your citation/complaint. If you received a summons from the Court, your arraignment date will be the court date indicated on your summons. If you were taken into custody and held in jail to see a judge, when you are released from jail your release order will indicate your court date or charges.
At your arraignment, you must enter a plea. There are three possible pleas to a criminal charge. However, in today’s day and age, primarily everyone enters a plea of not guilty at the arraignment date. Sometimes the judge will actually just enter a plea of not guilty as a matter of course.
- Plea of Not Guilty – A plea of “Not Guilty” means that you are informing the Court that you deny guilt and the State must prove the criminal charges against you. If you plead “Not Guilty,” a Pre-Trial Conference will be scheduled, and you must decide whether to employ an attorney to represent you. In some cases, you have the right to have a court-appointed attorney represent you. If an attorney is appointed to represent you, you may be ordered to contribute to the cost of your attorney.
- Plea of No Contest – A plea of “No Contest”, also known as “Nolo Contendere,” simply means that you do not wish to contest the State’s charge against you. Upon a plea of “No Contest” being accepted, the Judge will enter a judgment of guilty. If you enter a plea of “Guilty” or “No Contest”, you may be sentenced immediately following the Judge’s acceptance of your plea.
- Plea of Guilty – By a plea of “Guilty”, you admit that you committed the act charged in the complaint. If you were involved in an incident where someone was injured at the time of the alleged offense, your plea of “Guilty” could be used later in a civil suit for damages as an admission by you that you were at fault or were the party responsible for the injury.
Gilbert Pre-Trial Conferences
Your attorney will be given an opportunity to meet with a Prosecutor to review the facts supporting the State’s criminal charges against you at the first pre-trial conference. Sometimes, you are not actually required to be present at the Pre-Trial Conference. You should discuss this with your attorney. Witnesses do not attend the Pre-Trial Conference, and no testimony is taken. You are not required to discuss the facts of your case with the Prosecutor, since anything you say to them could be used against you in further proceedings.
You have three options at the Pre-Trial Conference:
- You have the option of accepting the Plea Agreement, which routinely contains the sentence you will receive (if accepted by the Judge).
- You can reject the Prosecutor’s offer and change your plea of “Not Guilty” to “Guilty” or “No Contest” directly to the Judge without agreeing on a sentence with the Prosecutor. If the Court accepts your plea, you will be sentenced by the Judge. Both you and the City Prosecutor will have an opportunity to address the Court before the Court determines the sentence.
- You can maintain your plea of “Not Guilty” and have the case continued for further investigation and negotiations or set the case to trial.
Gilbert Municipal Court Trials
Depending on the type of crime you were accused of your case could be heard by either a jury or a judge. It is not up to the accused to prove their innocence. The prosecutor is required to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to secure a conviction. If you are found not guilty, you will be released without penalty. However, if you are found guilty, you will either be sentenced immediately following your guilty verdict or at a later date.
Gilbert Attorney Representation
You have the right to be represented by an attorney at all stages of court proceedings. If you are going to have an attorney represent you, you should make those arrangements prior to the Pre-Trial Conference, and well in advance of the trial date.
Steven George Law has extensive knowledge and years of experience defending the accused in Gilbert Municipal Court. Take steps to protect your future and avoid the serious penalties that come with a criminal conviction when you contact our office to schedule a confidential consultation. Give us a call, or send us a text, at (480) 363-0090 to have your questions answered by a passionate and knowledgeable Gilbert lawyer.
