[Ord. No. 217 §1(370.010), 4-20-2005]
A.
The
Municipal Court shall establish a Violations Bureau to assist the
court with the clerical work of traffic cases. The Bureau shall be
in charge of such person or persons and shall be open at such hours
as the Municipal Judge may designate.
B.
The
Judge of the Municipal Court who hears traffic cases shall designate
the specified offenses under this law or under the traffic ordinances
of the City and the State traffic law in accordance with Supreme Court
Rules in respect to which payments of fines may be accepted by the
Violations Bureau satisfaction thereof and shall specify suitable
schedules the amount of such fines for first (1st), second (2nd) and
subsequent offenses, provided such fines are within the limits declared
by law or ordinance and shall further specify what number of such
offenses shall require appearance before the court.
A.
Any
person charged with an offense for which payment of a fine may be
made to the Violations Bureau shall have the option of paying such
fine within the time specified in the notice of arrest at the Violations
Bureau upon entering a plea of guilty and upon waiving appearance
in court or may have the option of depositing required lawful bail
and, upon a plea of not guilty, shall be entitled to a trial as authorized
by law.
B.
The
payment of a fine to the Bureau shall be deemed an acknowledgement
of conviction of the alleged offense, and the Bureau, upon accepting
the prescribed fine, shall issue a receipt to the violator acknowledging
payment thereof.
A.
The
following duties are hereby imposed upon the Violations Bureau in
reference to traffic offenses:
1.
It shall accept designated fines, issue receipts and represent in
court such violators as are permitted and desire to plead guilty,
waive court appearance and give power of attorney;
2.
It shall receive and issue receipts for cash bail from the persons
who must or wish to be heard in court, enter the time of their appearance
on the court docket, and notify the arresting officer and witnesses,
if any, to be present.
The Violations Bureau shall keep records and submit to the judges
hearing violations of City ordinances summarized monthly reports of
all notices issued and arrests made for violations of the traffic
laws and ordinances in the City and of all the fines collected by
the Violations Bureau or the court and of the final disposition or
present status of every case of violation of the provisions of said
laws and ordinances. Such records shall be so maintained as to show
all types of violations and the totals of each. Said records shall
be public records.
The Violations Bureau shall follow such procedure as may be
prescribed by the traffic ordinances of the City or as may be required
by any laws of this State.