Appearing in General District Court

You must appear in court on all criminal offenses, unless

• you are charged with one or more pre-payable non-traffic misdemeanor offenses
• have pre-paid the correct amount to the clerk
• or your payment is received by the clerk before your trial date

In the Courtroom

Defendants

If you are a defendant, listen for your name to be called and then promptly walk to the front of the courtroom to the judge when the clerk calls your case.

Witnesses

If you are a witness in a case, listen for the names of the defendant(s) in the case to be called and then promptly walk to the front of the courtroom to the judge when the clerk calls your case.

Failure to appear

In criminal cases, if a defendant fails to pay the fine and court costs and fails to appear in court, a separate warrant may be issued against the defendant on the new charge of failure to appear.

• The defendant then will have to stand trial on that charge, as well as the original charge.