(A) Before trial commences, either party, upon good cause shown, may obtain a reasonable postponement thereof.
(B) The defendant must be present in person at the trial. If, without sufficient excuse, a defendant fails to appear according to the terms or conditions of his or her bond, either for hearing, arraignment, trial, or judgment, or upon any other occasion when his or her presence in court or before the Magistrate may be lawfully required, the Judge may direct that fact to be entered upon the court minutes, thereby declaring the bond to be forfeited. If the defendant has not deposited a monetary bond, the Judge shall then set the amount thereof in the maximum fine, costs, and fees, and cause the forfeiture to be certified to the District Court of the county where the situs of government is situated, where it shall be entered upon the judgment docket and shall have the full force and effect of a District Court judgment. At such time as the forfeiture is entered upon the District Court judgment docket, the District Court Clerk shall proceed in accordance with the applicable provisions of state statutes.
(C) In all trials, as to matters not covered in this chapter, or by the statutes relating to municipal criminal courts, or by rules duly promulgated by the Supreme Court of the state, the procedure applicable in trials of misdemeanors in the District Courts shall apply to the extent that they can be made effective.
(D) If the defendant pleads guilty or is convicted after the trial, the Court must render judgment thereon, fixing the penalty within the limits prescribed by the applicable ordinance, and imposing sentence accordingly.
(E) At the close of trial, judgment must be rendered immediately by the Judge, who shall cause it to be entered in his or her docket.
(F) If judgment is of acquittal, and the defendant is not to be detained for any other legal cause, he or she must be discharged at once.
(G) If a defendant who is financially able refuses or neglects to pay a fine or costs or both, payment may be enforced by imprisonment until the same shall be satisfied at a rate to be set by the City Council from time to time.
(1) If the defendant is without means to pay the fines or costs, the Municipal Judge may direct the total amount due to be entered upon the court minutes and to be certified to the District Court in the county where the situs of the municipal government is located where it shall be entered upon the District Court judgment docket and shall have the full force and effect of a District Court judgment.
(2) Thereupon, the same remedies shall be available for the enforcement of the judgment as are available to any other judgment creditor.
(Prior Code, § 32.26) (Ord. 96-444, passed 4-2-1996)