[CC 1991 §9-1; Ord. No. 597 §2, 2-13-1979]
There is hereby established a Court in and for the City to be known as the "Frontenac Municipal Court, a Division of the 21st Judicial Circuit District of the State of Missouri". The Court is a continuation of the Court of the City as previously established.
[CC 1991 §9-2; Ord. No. 597 §3, 2-13-1979]
The Municipal Judge shall have exclusive original jurisdiction to hear and determine all offenses against the ordinances of the City. He/she shall keep a docket in which he/she shall enter every case commenced before him/her, and the proceedings therein; and he/she shall deliver such docket, and all books and papers pertaining to his/her office, to his/her successor in office.
[CC 1991 §9-4; Ord. No. 597 §4, 2-13-1979]
The Board of Aldermen shall provide at the expense of the City a suitable room or office for the Municipal Judge, and he/she shall hold his/her Court in such room.
[CC 1991 §9-5; Ord. No. 597 §24, 2-13-1979; Ord. No. 2006-1486 §4, 1-17-2006]
The Court Clerk shall be hired by the City Administrator with the consent of the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen.
[CC 1991 §9-6; Ord No. 597 §5, 2-13-79; Ord. No. 879 §1, 3-19-1991]
A. 
All ordinance violations shall be prosecuted by information. The Prosecuting Attorney of the City of Frontenac may file an information charging the commission of an ordinance violation based either:
1. 
Upon his/her own knowledge or information and belief, or
2. 
Upon a verified complaint.
Both a complaint and an information must be in writing and the contents thereof shall be as required by Rule 37.33 and Rule 37.35 of the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri. The Municipal Judge or the alternate Municipal Judge if he/she shall be sitting, shall maintain a docket of all cases coming before him/her and that docket shall state the name of the defendant, the nature and character of the offense, the date of the trial, the finding of the Court, the judgment, the penalties and costs, the date of or for payments, the date of issuing commitment, if any, and every other fact necessary to show the full proceedings in each case. A record shall likewise be maintained of the name of the complainant and the names and addresses of all witnesses sworn and examined.
[CC 1991 §9-7, Ord. No. 961 §1, 5-20-1993]
Warrants for the arrest of persons charged with Frontenac Ordinance or Code violations may be issued by the Judge of the Frontenac Municipal Division of the Circuit Court for St. Louis County, Missouri, and all such warrants may be directed to any Peace Officer in the State of Missouri. The warrant shall be executed by the arrest of the accused. All such warrants as may be issued hereunder shall contain all the information set forth in Rule 37.45 of the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri and shall be signed by the Judge or by the Clerk of the Municipal Division Court when directed by the Judge for a specific warrant. Service of a warrant may be effected in accordance with Rule 37.46 of the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri and initial proceedings after arrest of the accused under any warrant for ordinance violation shall be conducted in accordance with Rule 37.47 of the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri.
[CC 1991 §9-9; Ord. No. 597 §8, 2-13-1979; Ord. No. 879 §1, 3-19-1991]
A. 
All trials of ordinance violations shall be held in open Court in an orderly manner according to law.
B. 
If practical, traffic cases shall be heard and tried separately from other types of cases. Where a particular session of Court has been designated a traffic case session, only traffic cases shall be tried except for good cause shown.
C. 
All issues of fact in ordinance violation cases shall be determined by the Judge unless a jury trial is authorized by law and requested by the defendant.
D. 
A request for a jury trial shall be made by motion filed at least ten (10) days prior to the scheduled hearing date. If the designation of the trial Judge occurs less than ten (10) days before trial, the application may be filed any time prior to trial. The Judge shall promptly rule on a motion for jury trial. If the motion is sustained, the case shall be certified to the Presiding Judge of the 21st Judicial Circuit for assignment for trial by jury unless otherwise provided by Statute.
E. 
All jury trials shall proceed in the manner provided for the trial of a misdemeanor by the rules of criminal procedure.
[CC 1991 §9-10; Ord. No. 597 §9, 2-13-1979; Ord. No. 834 §1, 11-16-1989; Ord. No. 918 §1, 8-18-1992; Ord. No. 1097 §§1 — 2, 6-17-1997; Ord. No. 98-1111 §2, 7-21-1998; Ord. No. 2001-1215 §1, 8-21-2001; Ord. No. 2003-1349 §1, 9-16-2003; Ord. No. 2009-1597 §1, 4-29-2009]
A. 
Court costs for each municipal ordinance violation case filed in the Municipal Court shall be twelve dollars ($12.00) per case. The costs authorized herein are in addition to service costs, witness fees and jail costs otherwise authorized. No fees for the Judge or the City Prosecuting Attorney shall be assessed as costs. For those municipal ordinance violation cases where there is an application for a trial de novo, there shall be an additional fee of thirty dollars ($30.00) which shall be assessed as Court costs in the same manner as provided above herein. The Municipal Judge shall have the authority to waive the assessment of these costs at his/her discretion.
B. 
In addition to any other penalties and costs provided by law or ordinance, the Court may order any person convicted of an alcohol- or drug-related traffic offense to reimburse the City for the costs associated with the arrest of such person. Such costs shall include the reasonable cost of making the arrest, including the cost of any chemical test made to determine the alcohol or drug content of the person's blood, and the costs of processing, charging, booking and holding such person in custody. A schedule of such costs shall be established by the Frontenac Police Department and filed with the Clerk of the Municipal Court, and the Court may impose costs in accordance with the schedule; provided the Court may order the costs reduced in a case if the Court determines the costs are excessive.
C. 
Crime Victims' Compensation Fund. An additional sum of seven dollars fifty cents ($7.50) shall be assessed and added to the basic costs in Subsection (A) of this Section, provided that no such cost shall be collected in any proceeding when the proceeding or the defendant has been dismissed by the Court. All sums collected pursuant to this Subsection shall be paid at least monthly as follows:
1. 
Ninety-five percent (95%) of such fees shall be paid to the Director of Revenue of the State of Missouri for deposit as provided in Section 595.045.6, RSMo.
2. 
Five percent (5%) shall be paid to the City Treasury.
D. 
Peace Officer Training — Cost.
1. 
In addition to any fine or other costs that may be imposed by the Municipal Judge, there shall be assessed as costs in all cases, except those that have been dismissed by the Court, the sum of two dollars ($2.00) for the training of Peace Officers. This fee shall be transmitted monthly to the Treasurer of the City.
2. 
An additional one dollar ($1.00) shall be assessed as costs in all cases, except those that have been dismissed by the Court. This fee shall be deposited with the Treasurer of the State in the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission Fund to be used statewide for training of Peace Officers.
E. 
Inmate Security Fund. In addition to any other fines or Court costs pertaining to cases filed in the Municipal Court, an additional surcharge in the sum of two dollars ($2.00) shall be assessed in each case filed for the violation of ordinances in the City. No surcharge shall be collected in any proceeding when the proceeding or defendant has been dismissed by the Court or when costs are to be paid by the City. Such cost shall be collected by the Clerk of the Court and disbursed by the Board of Aldermen for any costs related to biometric verification, custody and housing of prisoners as defined in Section 488.5026, RSMo.
F. 
The City of Frontenac Municipal Court may take the costs of incarceration into account when imposing sentence, however, no fine which includes costs of incarceration may exceed the maximum fine which a Municipal Court may lawfully impose under State law.
[Ord. No. 2013-1713 §1, 10-15-2013]
No refund shall be required for overpayment of Court costs of five dollars ($5.00) or less, nor shall the Clerk be required to pursue unpaid amounts less than five dollars ($5.00) as provided in Section 488.014, RSMo.
[CC 1991 §9-11; Ord. No. 961 §1, 5-20-1993]
A. 
Any person having been released from arrest with or without a warrant, who shall breach any condition set for the release may be rearrested on order of the Court. In addition, any person who, having been released pursuant to a conditional release for Court appearance or upon recognizance or bond pursuant to any provision of law, who willfully fails to appear before any Court or Judicial Officer as required under the terms of such release, recognizance or bond shall be guilty of a misdemeanor under this Code and shall be punished upon conviction thereof in accordance with the penalty provisions of Sections 100.140 of this Code.
B. 
If there is a breach of any condition of any bond submitted to the Court, the Judge before whom the case is pending may declare a forfeiture of that bond. The Court shall have the further authority to effect justice in such matters including, but not limited to, those authorities set forth in Rule 37.26 of the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri. When a forfeiture has not been set aside, the Judge, on the motion of the Prosecuting Attorney, may enter a judgment of default and execution may issue thereon. By entering into a bond, the obligors submit to the jurisdiction of the Frontenac Municipal Division of the Circuit Court for St. Louis County, Missouri, and irrevocably appoint the Clerk of that Division Court as their agent upon whom any papers affecting their liability may be served. Their liability may be enforced on the Prosecutor's motion without the necessity of an independent action. The motion and such notice of the hearing as the Judge prescribes shall be delivered to the Clerk of the Division Court and the Clerk shall forthwith mail a copy to each of the obligors.
C. 
This Section shall not apply to any "minor traffic violation," as defined by Section 300.020 of the Frontenac Municipal Code of Ordinances.
[Ord. No. 2015-1767 § 2, 9-15-2015]
[CC 1991 §9-12; Ord. No. 597 §11, 2-13-1979]
Complaints filed before the Municipal Judge may include any number of persons charged with the same offense and no proceedings shall be dismissed or defendant discharged by reason of any informality or irregularity in any complaint; but such complaint may, by leave of Court, at any time before or during the trial prior to the finding of the Municipal Judge, be amended without prejudice to the proceedings.
[CC 1991 §9-13; Ord. No. 597 §12, 2-13-1979]
If, in the progress of any trial before the Municipal Judge, it shall appear that the accused ought to be put upon his/her trial for an offense against the criminal laws of the State, and not cognizable before the Municipal Judge, he/she shall immediately stop all further proceedings before him/her as Municipal Judge, and cause complaint to be made at once before an Associate Circuit Judge having jurisdiction, who shall thereupon proceed as in other cases cognizable before Associate Circuit Judges.
[CC 1991 §9-14; Ord. No. 597 §13, 2-13-1979]
It shall be the duty of the Municipal Judge to summons all persons whose testimony may be deemed essential as witnesses at the trial, and enforce their attendance by attachment, if necessary. Witnesses shall be paid out of the General Fund of the City Treasury the fee of two dollars ($2.00) for attendance of each day in Court. A claim for payment of such fee shall be approved by the Municipal Judge and the City Clerk before being paid by the City Treasurer. When a trial shall be continued by the Municipal Judge, it shall not be necessary to summons any witnesses who may be present at the continuance; but the Municipal Judge shall verbally notify such witnesses present as either party may desire to attend on the day set for trial, and enter the names of such witnesses on his/her docket, which verbal notice shall be valid as a summons.
[CC 1991 §9-15; Ord. No. 597 §14, 2-13-1979]
If the defendant plead or be found guilty, the Municipal Judge shall declare and assess the punishment prescribed by ordinance according to his/her finding and render judgment accordingly and for costs of suit; and it shall be a part of the judgment that the defendant stand committed until judgment is complied with except as herein otherwise provided.
[CC 1991 §9-16; Ord. No. 597 §15, 2-13-1979]
Any defendant committed under the provisions of this Chapter may be discharged on the payment of fine and costs, or upon perfecting an appeal as herein provided.
[CC 1991 §9-17; Ord. No. 597 §16, 2-13-1979]
In any case tried before a Municipal Judge who is licensed to practice law in this State or before an Associate Circuit Judge, except where there has been a plea of guilty or the case has been tried with a jury, the defendant shall have a right of trial de novo before a Circuit Judge or upon assignment before an Associate Circuit Judge. An application for a trial de novo shall be filed within ten (10) days after judgment and shall be filed in such form and perfected in such manner as provided by Supreme Court rule.
[CC 1991 §9-18; Ord. No. 597 §17, 2-13-1979]
A. 
The Municipal Judge shall have power to administer oaths and enforce due obedience to all orders, rules and judgments made by him/her within the scope of his/her authority, and may fine and imprison for contempt offered to him/her while holding Court if such person or persons be guilty of:
1. 
Disorderly, contemptuous or insolent behavior committed during its session, in its immediate view and presence, and directly tending to interrupt its proceeding or to impair the respect due to its authority;
2. 
Any breach of the peace, noise or other disturbance directly tending to interrupt its proceedings;
3. 
Willful disobedience of any process or order lawfully issued or made by it;
4. 
Resistance willfully offered by any person to the lawful order or process of the Court; or
5. 
The contumacious and unlawful refusal of any person to be sworn as a witness, or, when so sworn, to refuse to answer any legal and proper interrogatory.
B. 
Contempt committed in the immediate view and presence of the Court may be punished summarily; in other cases the party charged shall be notified of the accusation, and have a reasonable time to make his/her defense. Whenever any person shall be committed for any contempt specified in this Section, the particular circumstances of his/her offense shall be set forth in the order of warrant of contempt. Nothing contained in this Section shall be construed to extend to any proceeding against parties or officers, as for contempt, for the purpose of enforcing any civil right or remedy.
[CC 1991 §9-21; Ord. No. 879 §1, 3-19-1991]
The rules of the Missouri Supreme Court relating to the prosecuting of ordinances and traffic violations insofar as they may provide for matters not covered by this Article I of Chapter 135 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Frontenac and insofar as they may from time to time conflict with or be more stringent than the requirements of this Article I of Chapter 135 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Frontenac, are hereby adopted by this reference and made controlling in all such instances.
[Ord. No. 2008-1568 §1, 4-22-2008]
A. 
Search Warrant Defined — Who May Issue, Execute.
1. 
An "administrative search warrant" is a written order of the Municipal Judge permitting the entry of City Officials on or into private property, structure or improvement, to enforce the City's housing, zoning, health and safety regulations when government entry on or into such property is otherwise authorized by Missouri law. A warrant may issue only in conformance with this Section and only for the enforcement of the City's housing, zoning, health and safety regulations, specifically:
a. 
To inspect private property to determine or prove the existence of physical conditions in violation of a specified regulation,
b. 
To seize property or photograph, copy or record evidence of property or physical conditions found thereon or therein, and
c. 
To abate such physical conditions.
2. 
The Municipal Judge having original and exclusive jurisdiction to determine violations against the ordinances of the municipality may issue an administrative warrant when:
a. 
The property to be entered is located within the City, and
b. 
The owner or occupant of the property or place to be entered:
(1) 
Has refused to allow same after official request by the City, or
(2) 
Is not available, after reasonable investigation and effort, to consent to such search or inspection.
c. 
Any such warrant shall be directed to the Chief of Police or any other Police Officer of the City and shall be executed by the Chief of Police or said Police Officer in conjunction with the Code Enforcement Officer or other appropriate City Official within the City limits and not elsewhere.
B. 
Who May Apply For Warrant — Contents Of Application.
1. 
Any Code Enforcement Officer, Police Officer or attorney of the City may make application to the Municipal Judge for the issuance of an administrative warrant.
2. 
The application shall:
a. 
Be in writing;
b. 
State the time and date of the making of the application;
c. 
Identify the property or places to be entered, searched, inspected or seized in sufficient detail and particularity that the officer executing the warrant can readily ascertain it;
d. 
State that the owner or occupant of the property or places to be entered, searched, inspected or seized:
(1) 
Has been requested by the City to allow such action and has refused to allow such action, or
(2) 
Is not available, after reasonable investigation and effort, to consent to such search or inspection.
e. 
State facts sufficient to show probable cause for the issuance of a search warrant, as provided in Subsection (C) of this Section, to:
(1) 
Search or inspect for violations of an ordinance or Code Section specified in the application, or
(2) 
Show that entry or seizure is authorized and necessary to enforce an ordinance or Code Section specified in the application and/or abate an ordinance violation and that due process has been afforded prior to the entry or seizure.
f. 
Be verified by the oath or affirmation of the applicant; and
g. 
Be signed by the applicant and filed in the Municipal Court.
3. 
The application may be supplemented by a written affidavit verified by oath or affirmation. Such affidavit shall be considered in determining whether there is probable cause for the issuance of a search warrant and in filling out any deficiencies in the description of the property or place to be searched or inspected. Oral testimony shall not be considered.
4. 
The application may be submitted by hand delivery, mail or facsimile or other electronic means.
C. 
Determination Of Probable Cause — Issuance — Contents Of Warrant — Execution And Return.
1. 
Determination of probable cause/issuance.
a. 
The Municipal Judge shall determine whether probable cause exists to inspect or search for the purposes noted herein.
b. 
In doing so the Municipal Judge shall determine whether the action to be taken by the City is reasonable in light of the facts stated. The Municipal Judge shall consider the goals of the ordinance or Code Section sought to be enforced and such other factors as may be appropriate including, but not limited to, the physical condition of the specified property, the age and nature of the property, the condition of the area in which the property is located, the known violation of any relevant City ordinance or Code Section, the passage of time since the property's last inspection and the authority authorizing government entry onto private property. The standard for issuing a warrant need not be limited to actual knowledge of an existing violation of a City ordinance or Code Section.
c. 
If it appears from the application and any supporting affidavit that there is probable cause to inspect or search the private property for the enforcement of the City's housing, zoning, health and safety regulations, a search warrant shall immediately be issued.
d. 
The warrant shall issue in the form of an original and two (2) copies and the application, any supporting affidavit and one (1) copy of the warrant as issued shall be retained in the records of the Municipal Court.
e. 
A search warrant shall expire if it is not executed within ten (10) days after the date of the making of the application.
2. 
Contents of search warrant. The search warrant shall:
a. 
Be in writing and in the name of the City;
b. 
Be directed to any Police Officer in the City;
c. 
State the time and date the warrant was issued;
d. 
Identify the property or places to be searched, inspected or entered upon in sufficient detail and particularity so that the officer executing the warrant can readily ascertain it;
e. 
Identify the regulation sought to be enforced;
f. 
Command that the described property or places be entered upon for one (1) or more specified enforcement purposes as provided herein, including inspection or abatement;
g. 
Direct that any evidence of any suspected ordinance violations be seized, recorded or photographed and a description of such property be returned within ten (10) days after issuance of the warrant to the Clerk of the Municipal Court to be dealt with according to law;
h. 
Be signed by the Judge, with his or her title of office indicated.
3. 
Execution. A search warrant issued under this Article shall be executed only by a City Police Officer, provided however, that one (1) or more designated City Officials may accompany the officer and the warrant shall be executed in the following manner:
a. 
Copies of the warrant shall be given to the officer executing the warrant. Copies may be transmitted by hand delivery, mail or by facsimile or other electronic means.
b. 
The warrant shall be executed by conducting the search, inspection, entry, abatement or seizure as commanded and shall be executed as soon as practicable and in a reasonable manner but in no less than ten (10) days after issuance of the warrant.
c. 
The officer may summon as many persons as he deems necessary to assist him in executing the warrant and such persons shall not be held liable as a result of any illegality of the search and seizure.
d. 
The officer shall give the owner or occupant of the property searched, inspected or entered upon a copy of the warrant or shall leave a copy of the warrant at the property if the owner or occupant is not available.
e. 
In the event that a warrant authorizes abatement of a nuisance or other conditions, the Police Officer is not required to stay on the property during the entire length of time that it takes for the abatement to be completed.
4. 
Itemized receipt/disposition of seized property.
a. 
If any property is seized incident to the search or abatement, the officer shall give the person from whose possession it was taken, if the person is present, an itemized receipt for the property taken. If no such person is present, the officer shall leave the receipt at the site of the search or abatement in a conspicuous place.
b. 
A copy of the itemized receipt of any property taken shall be delivered to an attorney for the City within two (2) working days of the search.
c. 
The disposition of property seized pursuant to a warrant under this Section shall be in accordance with an applicable City ordinance or Code Section, but in the absence of same, then with Section 542.301, RSMo.
5. 
Return required after execution of search warrant.
a. 
After execution of the search warrant, the warrant, with a return thereon signed by the officer making the search, shall be delivered to the Municipal Court.
b. 
The return shall show the date and manner of execution and the name of the possessor and of the owner, when not the same person, if known, of the property or places searched or seized.
c. 
The return shall be accompanied by any photographs, copies or recordings made and by any property seized, along with a copy of the itemized receipt of such property required by this Section; provided however, that seized property may be disposed of as provided herein and in such a case a description of the property seized shall accompany the return.
d. 
The Court Clerk, upon request, shall deliver a copy of the return to the possessor and the owner, when not the same person, of the property searched or seized.
D. 
Warrant Invalid, When.
1. 
A search warrant shall be deemed invalid:
a. 
If it was not issued by the Municipal Judge;
b. 
If it was issued without a written application having been filed and verified;
c. 
If it was issued without sufficient probable cause in light of the goals of the Section to be enforced and such other factors as provided in Subsection (C) hereof;
d. 
If it was not issued with respect to property or places in the City;
e. 
If it does not describe the property or places to be searched, inspected, entered upon or seized with sufficient certainty;
f. 
If it is not signed by the Judge who issued it; or
g. 
If it was not executed within ten (10) days after the date of the issuance of the warrant.
2. 
An officer making a search pursuant to an invalid warrant, the invalidity of which is not apparent on its face, may use such force as he would be justified in using if the warrant were valid.