It is important to understand how the Prescott Justice 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 Justice Court Contact Information

Prescott Justice 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
Prescott, AZ 86303

You can reach the courthouse by calling (928) 771-3300.

The following information is about how Prescott Justice 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 Justice Court provides prompt and effective judicial services, adjudicating violations of the Arizona Revised Statutes and Yavapai County Code occurring within the Prescott Precinct, Yavapai County. 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 Justice 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 d

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: 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.

Court Appearances

It is important to dress properly when you appear in Prescott Justice 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. 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 in Prescott Justice Court

If you have been cited for a criminal misdemeanor offense, you must appear at the Prescott Justice 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 Justice Prosecutor to discuss possible plea negotiations. Be aware that the Justice 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.