FAQ
What is the purpose of the arraignment docket?
WHY YOU ARE SCHEDULED:
- To inform you of the criminal charge(s) against you; and
- To provide you with the opportunity to enter a plea.
NO CASES WILL BE TRIED DURING THE ARRAIGNMENT HEARING. You will not be presenting your case to the Judge or a jury today. Rather, you will be told what charges are filed against you and you will be asked to respond by entering a plea of guilty, not guilty or no contest to such charge(s).
PLEAS TO THE CHARGE(S) AGAINST YOU: Pleas/Options
PAYMENT OF FINES:
If you want to plead GUILTY or NO CONTEST and are unable to pay the fine(s) for your case today, the Court will consider allowing you reasonable time to make the payment. Please inform the Court of your need for extended payment time when you enter your plea. If you want to plead GUILTY or NO CONTEST and are indigent (or cannot afford to pay the fine), you also need to inform the Court so that the Judge can discuss this with you when he calls your name. If you plead Guilty or No Contest , and you only wish to discuss a payment plan with the Court or your inability to pay the fine, you do not need to talk to the Prosecutor.
PLEA BARGAINS WITH THE PROSECUTOR:
If you wish to plead NOT GUILTY, you may want to briefly discuss with the Prosecutor the possibility of a Plea Bargain (or agreement between you and the Prosecutor concerning the charge(s) against you). Any such agreement or plea bargain must be approved by the Judge. Because of the volume of cases handled by the Court, the Prosecutor’s time with you will be very limited so, please be very brief.
BEFORE TALKING TO THE PROSECUTOR, please understand that:
- The Prosecutor does NOT represent you. Any information you reveal may be used against you before the Judge or jury;
- You will, if you choose to talk to the Prosecutor, be asked to reveal your prior criminal history (including prior convictions) which may have some bearing on any recommendation concerning any Plea Bargain made by the Prosecutor to you; and
RESETTING CASES:
The Judge typically allows a case to be reset for good cause, such as illness, unavailability of a material witness, or unavailability of your attorney. However, more than one reset is not permitted without the express permission of the Judge.
THE CONTESTED DOCKET:
After you have made your plea of NOT GUILTY to the charges against you, or if you refuse to enter a plea and the Judge does so for you, your case will be reset for trial at a later date and time, which is called the Contested Docket. On that date, you will be expected to appear for trial with your witnesses, evidence, and if you desire, your attorney. Once you have been reset for a Contested Docket, no further Plea Bargains will be offered by the Prosecutor.
EASY DISPOSAL OF CERTAIN TYPES OF CASES:
What methods of payment are accepted?
We accept money orders, cashier’s checks, personal checks, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover. We accept cash if paying in person. Please do not send cash through the mail or after hours drop box.
If your charges have gone to warrant, we DO NOT accept personal checks.
Are you open during lunch hours?
The Municipal Court is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. On Thursday, we are open 8:00 a.m. until noon.
Where do I park?
We have limited parking at our location on 510 W. 9th Street. There is a lot located on the corner of 8th and Martin Luther King Jr. Street for overflow parking during busy times such as court hearings and for jury duty.
How long do I have to pay for my ticket?
You may pay or contact the court by the appearance date that is noted on your citation. We also offer an online payment option at https://court.georgetown.org/paying-fines/.
If I have a warrant, what do I do?
If you have a warrant with the City of Georgetown, you may post a bond to set a court date, pay the fine in full, or contact the court for other available options. Once a warrant has been issued, we only accept payment by credit card, cashier’s check, money order, or cash.
If my ticket isn’t with the City of Georgetown, where else would I go?
Tickets issued by State Highway Patrol Officers or by Williamson County Sheriff’s Deputies are not filed in the Georgetown Municipal Court, but are filed with one of the Justice of the Peace courts. For contact information, see our “Overview” page and scroll down to “Other Area Courts.”
