Payson Regional Justice Court/Payson Municipal Court
Payson Regional Justice Court is a court of law located in Payson, Arizona, with jurisdiction over misdemeanor crimes and petty offenses committed within the city limits. It shares jurisdiction with the Payson Municipal Court for violations of state law within Payson.
Payson Regional Justice Court and Payson Municipal Court are housed in the same location. It is important to understand how these Courts handle cases like yours in order to prepare for your upcoming court date. A skilled Payson 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.
Court Contact Information
The Payson Regional Justice Court and Payson Municipal Court are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m.to 4:45 p.m., except on the third Thursday of the month when they open at 8:30 a.m. Theys are closed daily from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. and on holidays. If you have a court date scheduled, you must appear at the following address:
714 S. Beeline Hwy., Ste. 103
Payson, Arizona 85541
You can reach the courthouse by calling (928) 474-5267.
The following information is about how these courts handle 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
The Payson Regional Justice Court and Payson Municipal Court handle injunctions against harassment, domestic violence orders of protection, misdemeanor crimes and petty offenses committed within the Town of Payson. If you have recently received a citation for a traffic offense, or if you have misdemeanor charges and have been ordered to appear in Payson Regional Justice Court or Payson 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.
Your citation has a notation that indicates it is either civil or criminal. If you received a criminal citation, you must contact the court by phone prior to your court date.
Civil Traffic Citations
There are four 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: If you are eligible, you may attend Defensive Driving School.
If you choose to attend defensive driving school, and you are eligible to attend, do not pay your citation online. You can attend before your scheduled court date, or you may request a one-time extension to attend defensive driving school. You can register over the phone and arrange to attend class at an Arizona State Certified School. Use the above link or call 1-888-334-5565
OPTION TWO: Deny Responsibility and Request a Hearing
The officer who issued the citation will be subpoenaed to appear at the hearing.
- You may request a hearing by mail by filling out the request card provided in the bond envelope.
- You may appear on your scheduled court date and request a hearing; however, if you request a hearing, you give up the right to attend defensive driving school.
- You may voluntarily post a deposit in the amount of the civil penalty to ensure your license is not suspended should you fail to appear for the hearing.
- You may waive your rights to be present in person if it is a hardship for you to return to court, but you must file a written request with the court.
OPTION THREE: Pay the Fine
You may admit responsibility to the charge(s) on your citation and pay the Bond/Penalty amount in person or by mail. If you cannot pay the amount in full you may request installment payments. Make your payment by visiting AZCOURTSPAY or toll free at 1(855)436-6818.
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. Persons under the age of 18 (juveniles) must appear with a parent or guardian if cited for a moving violation, criminal, or criminal traffic offense
Court Appearances
Everyone who visits the Court must check in at the front desk, 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. Security Staff may prohibit any item deemed a danger to courthouse safety.
It is important to dress properly when you appear in Payson Regional Justice Court or Payson Municipal Court. Casual business attire is appropriate for court appearances. Tank tops, T-shirts or shorts are not appropriate for courtroom proceedings. Food, chewing gum and drinks other than water are prohibited in the courtroom. You must turn off cell phones and remove hats and caps when entering the courtroom.
Arraignment in Payson Regional Justice Court or Payson Municipal Court
If you have been cited for a criminal misdemeanor offense, you must appear in person 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. Certain courts do allow defendants in some criminal and criminal traffic cases to enter pleas by mail or video link. If you want or need to use this option, you must call or write to the Justice Court as soon as possible after receiving your ticket.
- Plead not guilty and get a new court date for a pretrial conference.
If you choose to plead not guilty, the Court will set a pretrial conference where you will have the opportunity to talk with a Town Prosecutor to discuss possible plea negotiations. Be aware that the Town 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.
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.
