It is important to understand how the Prescott City Court handles cases like yours in order to prepare for your upcoming court date, and a skilled Prescott 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.
Prescott City Court Contact Information
Prescott City Court is open from 8 a.m. to 5 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:
Yavapai County Courthouse
120 South Cortez Street, #103
Prescott, AZ 86303
You can reach the courthouse by calling (928) 771-3300.
The following information is about how Prescott City 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 Prescott
The Prescott City Court handles injunctions against harassment, domestic violence orders of protection, misdemeanor crimes and petty offenses committed within the city limits in Prescott, Arizona. If you have recently received a citation for a traffic offense, or if you have misdemeanor charges within the City of Prescott and have been ordered to appear in Prescott City 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
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
Generally speaking, there can be four different options for responding to a civil traffic citation. These options are not available in all situations, and it is usually up to the judge or prosecutor on what they will agree to and allow. You must notify the court of your choice by the date on the citation, or you will need to appear. If you fail to appear for your court date, a judgement of default will be entered against you and you will be found responsible for the allegations. Most of the time, this is irreversible.
- OPTION ONE: Diversion of Charge
Please see our Defensive Driving School page for information on this option.
- OPTION TWO: Deny Responsibility and Request a Hearing
You may request a hearing by:
Completing and mailing or emailing the Civil Traffic Plea(PDF, 240KB) form to the court. Be sure to check the box “I deny responsibility”
- You will be notified by mail of your assigned hearing date.
- You must appear on that date and be ready to present evidence and examine witnesses.
- If the defendant fails to appear, a judgment of Responsible will be entered.
- OPTION THREE: Pay the Fine
You may admit responsibility by paying the fine and you will not be required to appear in court. To learn the amount of the fine click here (PDF, 71KB). For information on payment methods or how to request a time payment arrangement click here.
- OPTION FOUR: Request a dismissal of the charge or reduction in penalty.
If your charge is eligible, you may request the court to dismiss your charge or reduce the penalty. You must complete the Civil Traffic Plea(PDF, 240KB) form and submit supporting documentation seven (7) days prior to your appearance date on the citation. If your request is not granted, you are still responsible for taking other action on or before your appearance date.
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. Generally, the court date on your citation will be for your arraignment. Sometimes, an officer may be unsure about the strength of the evidence against you. In these cases, you will not see a court date on your citation. This is because the law enforcement officer has submitted the evidence and reports to the Prescott City Prosecutor’s office for them to review the situation and make a decision on whether they would like to proceed with charges or not.
Court Appearances in Prescott Court
It is important to dress properly when you appear in Prescott City Court. Casual business attire is appropriate for most court appearances. Tank tops or shorts are not appropriate for courtroom proceedings. Clothing with visible offensive wording is not permitted.
Everyone who visits the Court must pass through a metal detector and place all personal belongings through an X-ray machine. In Prescott Municipal Court, security requires that you remove any electronic devices, including cellphones and laptops, from your bag before putting it through the X-ray machine. Security Staff are responsible for screening all persons entering the courthouse. This process may involve the use of the magnetometer, hand-held detectors and the seizure of items classified as weapons or potential weapons. Security Staff may prohibit any item deemed a danger to courthouse safety.
Arraignment Proceedings in Prescott City Court
If you have been cited for a criminal misdemeanor offense, you must appear at the Prescott City 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.
Prescott Pre-Trial Conferences
Your pre-trial conference is an opportunity for either you or your attorney to check in with the prosecutor on the status of the case and to discuss issues with the case, including any outstanding discovery issues. When the case gets further along, the pre-trial conference (or PTC) can be where discussions are held regarding whether the charges against you can be reduced to a less serious offense or dismissed entirely. 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.
Prescott City Court Criminal Trial Procedure
Depending on the type of crime you were accused of committing, your case could be heard by a jury or a judge. For example, DUI charges are eligible to be heard by a jury. Reckless Driving charges are also jury eligible. However, simple assault or domestic violence assault are not jury eligible and can only be heard during a bench trial. A bench trial is where a judge acts as the trier of fact (rather than a jury). Either way, 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 sentencing date determined by the court.
If you are facing charges in the Prescott City Court, contact Steven George Law now.
Don’t leave your future to guess work. Criminal charges are serious and can have a life lasting impact on your future. Call the team that has experience defending against charges in Prescott City Court. Our team is eager and ready to protect your rights. If you or someone you know are facing civil or criminal charges, call or text (480) 363-0090 to get time to speak to an attorney free of charge who will take the time needed to answer your questions and give you free advice on next steps.
