CITY COUNCIL MEETING
2nd & 4th Monday Every Month
Hoquiam Ciy Hall
7:30 PM
Click Here
to View Agenda
Harbor Art Guild
Holiday Season Art Show
Thru February 08, 2009
210 6th Street, Hoquiam WA
City of Hoquiam
Encourages
Green Industry
Hoquiam is proud to announce our change to using Harbor 100
Water Use Efficiency Rule
The State of Washington has put in place new requirements
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Q...Where is Hoquiam Municipal Court located?
A...The Municipal Court Chamber is upstairs at City Hall at 609 8th Street in Downtown Hoquiam. Proceedings are open to the public (unless otherwise specified). Prisoners may not talk to or have contact with those that are watching the proceedings
Q...How can I find out what my court date is?
A...Visit
www.courts.wa.gov/calendars and choose Hoquiam Municipal Court from
the drop-down list.
Q...What kind of cases does the Municipal Court handle?
A...Cases occurring in Hoquiam
involving traffic violations, misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors (assault,
trespass, violation of restraining orders).
Q...Does the Court take cases involving Juveniles?
A...Only on a traffic violation by a person 16 or older.
Q...Does the Court handle felony complaints?
A...No, all felonies go through the Grays Harbor Justice Court Districts or Grays Harbor Superior Court.
District Court #1
Montesano 249-3441
District Court #2
Aberdeen 532-7061
Superior Court Montesano 249-3842
Q...Am I legally obligated to appear or pay fines if I am not a Hoquiam resident?
A...If the ticket goes unpaid, the state will suspend your license, even if it is in another state. States now have reciprocal agreements. It is illegal to drive with a suspended/revoked license in Washington and most other states.
Q...Can I sue someone for damages in Municipal Court?
A...No, that is a civil matter- not covered in the Municipal Court system.
Q...Can I pay a Seattle ticket in Hoquiam or a Hoquiam ticket in another city?
A...No, tickets must be paid to & in the issuing jurisdiction.
Q...Can I have my case moved to another court geographically?
A...There is no change of venue in Municipal Court.
Q...How do I know when I have to come to Court on a traffic infraction?
A...When you get a ticket, READ what the officer wrote. You do not automatically get a court date. YOU MUST REQUEST ONE. Otherwise the court expects you to pay the fine by the date indicated. Your fine is due the day you go to court. If you do not bring it, and you lose your case, you may face additional penalties. Carefully read the information on the back of your ticket!
Q...If my spouse calls the Police on a domestic tiff and they take me to jail, can the charges be dropped in the morning?
A...Under the new domestic violence laws, your spouse is not the person bringing the charges (the City "Attorney's Office does it) so your spouse cannot drop the charges. You will have to appear in court.
Q...What happens if I don't pay a fine?
A...Many unpaid fines are turned over to a collection agency (Allied Credit 1-800-456-8838) and they charge an additional 50% over and above the court fine, plus interest. Interest on a fine of $50 or $500 adds up quickly. If you have problems paying a fine, discuss it with the judge at the time of sentencing.
Q...Can I find out information about a defendant in your system computer?
A...Some information is a matter of court record - such as who was accused of what. There is other information that is sensitive and protected by law. The Court cannot give out Social Security numbers for instance and all requests for records must be in writing and delivered in person with a time frame for delivery agreed upon by the Court Clerk.
Q...How do I get to serve on a jury in Hoquiam?
A...Jurors are selected from the jury source list from the County. There are only 6 jurors on a jury in municipal court, each is paid a small jury fee if selected for duty. Also most trials only last one day or one half day.
Q...As a citizen, I'm curious about where all the money goes that the court collects?
- the Legislature of Washington regulates the amounts of fees and fines for all infractions of the law. Your local peace officer or court employee has no control over the amounts, except the judge who can use discretionary powers within a range allowable.
- The Court Administration System of Washington State receives 46% of all fines paid by individuals plus a fee of approximately $19 per court conviction for upkeep of computers, court communications and other requirements mandated by the legislature.
- it is costly to try to collect fees and fines from people who don't want to or won't pay them. Certainly it is very expensive to maintain prisoners in jail and our jail has population limits. It is harder still to get people to work off fines in a community service program as well as pay for supervising personnel.
Crime is a costly, and counter productive problem every community faces. It uses resources much better used for other programs and damages the quality of life for citizens in the community. If you come up with some great ideas, let the City know. We always want to know what you think and how we can work together to make this a safer and happier community for all of our citizens!
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