State Requirements for Juvenile Offenders
Municipal court has jurisdiction over all juveniles (16 years old or younger) charged with Class C misdemeanor offenses. The state law requires that all juveniles are required to appear in open court for all proceedings involving their cases.

The parent of any juvenile charged in municipal court is also required by law to be present in court with his or her child.

Failure to Appear / Pay
Juveniles who fail to appear in court may have an additional charge of failure to appear filed against them. Juveniles who fail to appear or pay their fine will be reported to the Department of Public Safety who will suspend their driver license. If they do not have a driver license, they will not be able to obtain one until they appear in court.

An attorney can represent a juvenile, but the juvenile and parent must also be in attendance.

Change of Address
A child and parent required to appear before the court have an obligation to provide the court in writing with the current address and residence of the child. The obligation does not end when the child reasches age 17. On or before the seventh day after the date the child or parent changes residence, the child or parent shall notify the court of the current address in the manner directed by the court. A violation of this subsection may result in arrest and is a Class C misdemeanor. The obligation to provide notice terminates on discharge and satisfaction of the judgment or final disposition not requiring a finding of guilt.

For More Information
If you have any questions or would like more details, please contact the Municipal Court at 972.874.3370.