CHAPTER 32: MUNICIPAL COURT

Section

General Provisions

   32.01   City Judge

   32.02   Maintenance of docket

   32.03   Imposition of fines, penalties and costs

   32.04   Disposition and report of civil penalties and costs

   32.05   Contempt of court

   32.06   Trial and disposition of cases

   32.07   Collection of fines, costs and litigation taxes

Warrants, Summonses and Subpoenas

   32.20   Issuance of summonses

   32.21   Issuance of subpoenas

Bonds and Appeals

   32.35   Appeals

   32.36   Bond amounts, conditions and forms

GENERAL PROVISIONS

§ 32.01 CITY JUDGE.

   The officer designated by the charter to handle judicial matters within the city shall preside over the City Court and shall be known as the City Judge.

(1994 Code, § 3-101)

§ 32.02 MAINTENANCE OF DOCKET.

   The City Judge, or person designated, shall keep a complete docket of all matters coming before him or her in his or her judicial capacity. The docket shall include for each defendant such information as his or her name, warrant and/or summons numbers, alleged offense, disposition, civil penalties and costs imposed and whether collected, and all other information that may be relevant.

(1994 Code, § 3-201) (Ord. 494, passed 9-2-1993; Ord. 671, passed 5-29-2007)

§ 32.03 IMPOSITION OF FINES, PENALTIES AND COSTS.

   (A)   All civil penalties and costs shall be imposed and recorded by the City Judge on the City Court docket in open court.

   (B)    (1)   In all cases heard or determined by him or her, the City Judge shall tax in the bill of costs the following schedule:

 

Court costs    Municipal Code and/or animal control citations	$100
State litigation tax	$13.75
Local litigation tax	$13.75
Litigation tax for public parking space violation	$1

 

Municipal Traffic Citations Court Costs    (Court costs are charged per violation/case number)
Up to 14 MPH over posted speed limit	$115
15 MPH to 19 MPH over posted speed limit	$130
20 MPH to 29 MPH over posted speed limit	$150
30 MPH and over posted speed limit	$225
Other moving violations	$115
Light violations	$100
All other non-moving violations	$115

 

      (2)   The above scheduled court costs shall be in addition to any fines or other assessment authorized by the State of Tennessee and any special court costs that may be assessed under the provisions of the municipal charter.

   (C)   Unless modified by state law, $1 of the court costs in each case shall be forwarded by the Court Clerk to the State Treasurer to be used by the administrative office of the courts for training and continuing education courses for municipal court judges and municipal court clerks.

(1994 Code, § 3-202) (Ord. 393, passed 4-8-1985; Ord. 494, passed 9-2-1993; Ord. 671, passed 5-29-2007; Ord. 791, passed 9-26-2016; Ord. 858, passed 8-24-2020; Ord. 871, passed 11-15-2021)

§ 32.04 DISPOSITION AND REPORT OF CIVIL PENALTIES AND COSTS.

   All funds coming into the hands of the City Judge in the form of civil penalties, costs and forfeitures shall be recorded by him or her and paid over daily to the city. At the end of each month, he or she shall submit to the City Commission a report accounting for the collection or non-collection of all civil penalties and costs imposed by his or her Court during the current month and to date for the current fiscal year.

(1994 Code, § 3-203) (Ord. 494, passed 9-2-1993; Ord. 671, passed 5-29-2007)

§ 32.05 CONTEMPT OF COURT.

   Contempt of court is punishable by a fine of $50, or such lesser amount as may be imposed in the Judge’s discretion.

(1994 Code, § 3-204) (Ord. 671, passed 5-29-2007)