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When a defendant is convicted of any offense over which the municipal court of record has jurisdiction, a judgment that the defendant pay a fine may also direct that payment of the fine be made within a limited time or in installments on specified dates and that, on default of payment as stipulated, the defendant shall be imprisoned until the fine is satisfied in full. Unless such direction is given in the judgment, the fine is payable immediately. Any judgment providing for an installment payment must be in writing, with a copy being given to the defendant and a copy being signed by the defendant acknowledging his receipt of the copy. It is expressly provided that if the defendant has duly posted an appearance bond, appeal bond, or cash escrow deposit, he shall remain free pending further disposition of his case. (Code 1941, Art. 28-8; Ord. Nos. 8215, 13216; 19802)
(a) Forms of bonds of appeal of any cause from the municipal court of record, approved by any municipal judge, shall be printed and retained in the office of the municipal clerk and made available without charge to any person desiring to appeal from any order of the municipal court of record. Any other appeal bond approved by a municipal judge and complying with the state statutes with reference to appeal bonds may be accepted by a municipal judge in lieu of bonds printed on the approved form provided for in this subsection.
(b) An appeal bond must be in the amount of $50 or double the amount of the fines and costs adjudged against a defendant, whichever is greater. An appeal bond must:
(1) state that the defendant was convicted in the case and has appealed; and
(2) be conditioned on the defendant’s appearance, upon notice, in the court to which the appeal is taken. (Code 1941, Art. 28-9; Ord. Nos. 8215; 19802)
(a) A person in the city jail charged with violating a provision of this code or other city ordinance may be discharged from the jail on his own recognizance if he executes a recognizance agreement on a form provided for that purpose and delivers it and an escrow deposit to the municipal clerk. The escrow deposit must be an amount of cash equal to that amount set by the municipal judges for the offense charged. The municipal clerk shall perform this duty subject to the direction of the city manager.
(b) Recognizance agreement forms shall be kept in the offices of the city jail and the municipal court of record. These forms shall be serially numbered in triplicate so that the agreements may be prepared with an original (which within 24 hours after its acceptance shall be delivered to the municipal clerk, together with the jail arrest card prepared in the case), a duplicate (which may be delivered to the person charged), and a triplicate (which shall be delivered to the municipal clerk together with the escrow deposit accepted with the agreement). A recognizance agreement must include:
(1) a description of the offense with which the person has been charged;
(2) the agreement of the person charged to appear in the municipal court of record before a municipal judge on a certain date and hour; and
(3) a statement that upon failure of the person executing the agreement to appear before the municipal judge, or to cause someone on his behalf to appear, the amount, or any part of the amount, paid as an escrow deposit in lieu of an appearance bond may on default be assessed as a fine against the person and the escrow deposit applied as payment of the fine.
(c) A person who makes an escrow deposit when executing a recognizance agreement shall be entitled to a return of his deposit if he:
(1) at any time, in lieu of the deposit, submits an appearance bond that is found sufficient by a municipal judge;
(2) complies with the terms of the agreement and, at a hearing before a municipal judge, is acquitted or the proceedings dismissed; or
(3) after complying with the terms of the agreement and being fined, pays the fine or executes an appeal bond that is approved and filed;
otherwise, as the recognizance agreement shall provide, the amount of the escrow deposit shall be applied to the payment of the fine and all costs in the case, with any balance to be returned to the person. (Code 1941, Art. 28-10; Ord. Nos. 8215; 15279; 17029; 19802)
If any sum is returnable to a person who has made an escrow deposit with the execution of a recognizance agreement, it shall be returned by the municipal clerk who shall obtain an appropriate receipt from the person. (Code 1941, Art. 28-11; Ord. Nos. 8215; 17029; 19802)
No appointive official of the city or employee of the city in any capacity may recommend to any person charged with a violation of any provision of this code or other city ordinance a lawyer for representing the person in the matter or a person for serving as surety on any bond for the person in the matter. The penalty for a violation of this section by an official or employee of the city, in addition to any other penalty which may be now or hereafter provided for, shall include, at the option of the appointive power and after a determination that a violation of this section has occurred, immediate discharge of the official or employee in the manner provided for in the city personnel rules. (Code 1941, Art. 28-12; Ord. Nos. 8215; 19802)
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