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1. What is the amount of my fine?

View violation fees on the following link. Fine Fees

2. Is my citation a mandatory Court appearance?

If you are charged with the following offense, you must appear in court even if you have posted a cash bond:

• DUI
• No license
• Suspended license (second offense)
• Theft by shoplifting (under $300)
• Probation violation
• Violation of sound making device (fourth offense or more)
• Window tint (fourth offense or more)
• Vicious dog

3. How do I pay a citation and not have to appear in court?

When you receive a citation from the Hinesville Police Department, it has your court date and time. If you intend to pay your before your court date, you may do so by paying the citation any time up until 7 a.m. the morning of court. If not paid by 7 a.m., you must appear in court at 7:45 a.m. Payments are accepted 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but after 4:30 p.m. you must have exact change if paying with cash. You may also pay by mail to:

Municipal Court of Hinesville
123 East M.L. King, Jr. Drive
Hinesville, GA 31313

Methods of payments include:

• Cash
• Check made payable to the City of Hinesville (no starter checks, checks over $200 are not accepted after 4 p.m., all checks must be pre-printed, and proper ID is required)
• MasterCard, Visa or American Express with proper ID (we also accept payments over the phone by the owner of the card)
• Money order
• Cashier's check

If you have posted a cash bond for an offense that does not require a court appearance and you do not appear in court, your bond will be forfeited and your case will be closed as guilty by bond forfeiture.

Online payments may be submitted on the homepage at www.cityofhinesville.org.

4. Can I speak to the judge before my court date?

The judge cannot discuss your case outside of court. We cannot provide the phone number for him at his regular office. He is only available during court for discussion of cases.

5. What should I do if I cannot appear in court on my court date?

Cases (one time only) may be postponed by 3 p.m. on the day before your court date by completing the appropriate forms in the clerk’s office at 123 East M.L. King, Jr. Drive for the following reasons:

• Emergencies with proper verification
• Subpoena from a higher court
• Military obligation (must have your supervisor, E-6 or above, come to the clerk's office)
• Postponements for other reasons require a cash bond

6. What if I fail to appear in court?

If you fail to appear at your scheduled court appearance, a warrant may be issued for your arrest with additional fines. The clerk’s office will notify the Department of Driver Services to suspend your driver’s license or your privileges to drive in this State until you have satisfied the court. If your license or privileges are suspended, a reinstatement fee may be assessed by the State. For more information, contact the court at (912) 368-8206.

7. What is an arraignment?

An arraignment is an initial hearing before a judge during which the judge reads the charges to the defendant, informs the defendant of his or her constitutional rights, and gives the defendant the opportunity to enter a plea. If the defendant enters a plea of guilty or nolo contendere (no contest), the judge may impose sentence immediately. If the defendant enters a plea of not guilty, the matter is set for trial at a later date in the month.

Arraignments are held on the first, second and third Wednesday of each month, excluding holidays. Most officers are not subpoenaed to court for this date. On arraignment day you may enter the following pleas:

• Guilty – This plea means that you acknowledge having committed the violation stated on the citation.
• Not Guilty – This plea means that you deny having committed the violation stated on the citation and that the City must prove its charge(s) against you at a court hearing. If the officer is already present in court, the case may be heard. If the officer is not in court, the case is then set for a non-jury trial where any witnesses and police officers are subpoenaed, and evidence is used by either side.
• Nolo Contendere (no contest) – This plea is neither an admission or denial of charge(s). It states that you are not contesting the charges and do not want a trial, and is admission that you believe the City would prove the charges, if not rebutted by your evidence. The plea is accepted at the court’s discretion.

8. What is a bench trial?

A bench trial is a court appearance before the judge by the violator, officer and any witnesses to present facts of the case and announce judgment. Bench trials occur on the fourth Wednesday of the month.

9. How do I get a trial by a jury?

You must appear in the Municipal Court on your assigned court date and request the judge to transfer your case to State court. Upon the approval, you will be required to post a bond, as we cannot send cases to State court without a bond. You will be notified by that court of your new court date and time to appear.

10. How do I appeal the judge's decision?

If you do not agree with the judge’s decision of your case you may appeal it through the Superior Court of Liberty County within 30 days of disposition. Contact Liberty County Superior Court Clerk F. Barry Wilkes at (912) 876-3625 for further information.

11. Is there a dress code and prohibited item policy?

Yes. No jeans, shorts, scrubs, sweatpants, work uniforms, baggy pants, mini skirts, sunglasses, t-shirts depicting violence, sexual acts, profanity, illegal drugs, tube or halter tops, or plunging necklines / midriffs are allowed. Dress in dress pants and shirts. Military personnel must be in Class A or B uniform with an escort of an E6 or above. No cell phones or pagers are allowed. If you are found using them during court, they will become property of the City of Hinesville. No weapons, videos, video recorders, or cameras are allowed unless approved by the court. No food, beverages, chewing gum, or tobacco.

We also ask you not to bring children.

If you are not dressed properly, you will not enter the court. To find out the status of your case, you will be given information on how to contact the clerk’s office when the court session is over. This will delay your hearing and require you to appear in court more than once.

12. Are there any security precautions I should be aware of?

You should arrive between approximately 7:30 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. Before entering the court, you will go through a security checkpoint. In most cases, you will be asked to walk through a metal detector or an officer will use a wand to check for prohibited items. You should allow the officer to search any bags, packages or personal belongings that will be taken into the courtroom. If you refuse to cooperate, you may be denied entry to your hearing.

13. What can and cannot the court staff do to help?

We can help you with the following:

• Explain and answer questions about how the court works
• Give you general information about court rules, procedures and practices
• Provide court schedules and information on when a case is scheduled for a hearing
• Give you information from your case file
• Usually answer questions about maximum punishments allowable by law
• Provide you with fine information for offenses for which the judiciary has adopted a fine schedule

We cannot help you with the following:

• We cannot advise whether or not you should bring your case to court
• We cannot tell you what words to use for preparing motions or other court papers
• We cannot recommend what you should say to the judge in court
• We cannot speculate about what decision the judge might make or what sentence the judge might impose in your case
• We cannot change an order signed by a judge or override any decision rendered by a judge
• We cannot talk to the judge on your behalf
• We cannot let you talk to the judge outside of court
• We cannot give you information on background checks

14. Where does the money go?

All fines are subject to the following surcharges or additional fees as required by State law and local ordinance. The Police Officer Annuity and Benefit Fund is subtracted from the fine imposed. All other fees are added to the fine imposed.

• Peace Officers Annuity and Benefit Fund O.C.G.A. 47-17-60
• Law Library Fund O.C.G.A. 36-15-9
• Peace Officer, Prosecutor and Indigent Defense Funding Act O.C.G.A 15-21-70 to 77
• County Jail Construction and Staffing Fund O.C.G.A. 15-21-90 to 95
• Georgia Crime Victims Emergency Fund O.C.G.A. 15-21-110 to 115
• Local Victim Assistance Programs O.C.G.A. 15-21-130 to 134
• Drug Treatment and Education Fund O.C.G.A. 15-21-100-101 (Drug offenses only)
• Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund O.C.G.A. 15-21-140 to 152 (DUI offenses only)
• Drivers Education and Training Fund O.C.G.A 15-21-179
• Technology fee Resolution Number # 2009-27
• Publication fee ($25) for publication of photo in newspaper, as ordered by sentencing judge on second or more DUI offense

15. What are Rule NISIs?

Rule NISI is a court order requiring an individual to appear in court to "show cause" why a particular action should or should not be granted/ordered. For example, if the Inspections Department has someone that will not clean up around their property, cut the weeds, abandoned vehicles, etc., they do not write citations for that but issue a Rule NISI.

16. How do I request a certified disposition?

Certified dispositions may be requested by individuals who have had their case heard in Municipal Court. The disposition shows all charges and the judge’s decision. Dispositions may be obtained at a cost of $2. You may request a disposition by mail by sending a money order or cashier's check to:
Hinesville Municipal Court
123 East M.L. King, Jr. Drive
Hinesville, GA 31313