Frequent Questions
I wish to plead Not Guilty, how do I do that and what will happen in court? You may plead Not Guilty by appearing in court on the date indicated on your citation. After your plead Not Guilty, the case will be scheduled for a Trial Date. You MUST appear at the next scheduled date, or a Bench Warrant will be ordered. At the Trial date, if you change your plea, or are found Guilty, and the officer the court subpoenaed is off duty, you will be charged an additional $50.00 witness fee.
I wish to plead Guilty, but need more time to pay my ticket? You may plead Guilty by appearing in court on the date indicated on your citation. After you plead Guilty, you can tell the Judge that you need more time to pay your ticket and he will give you an extension with a new court date to pay it by.
What will happen if I miss my Court Date? If you miss your court date, a Bench Warrant will be ordered. You can pay $50.00 to recall the Bench Warrant, and a new court date will be issued. If the Bench Warrant does not get recalled, or the ticket paid, the court will suspended your Driver's License.
HOW TO USE THE CITY COURT OF PORT ALLEN
This is an informational publication of the City Court of Port Allen. The City Judge and the employees of the City Court are not allowed to give legal advise. Therefore, you may wish to contact a lawyer, even if you intend to handle your own claim.
WHAT IS THE CITY COURT OF PORT ALLEN?
The City Court of Port Allen was established by the State of Louisiana. It is called a city court, but it has jurisdiction over all of Ward III of West Baton Rouge. It has authority to decide certain juvenile and criminal matters as well as civil disputes up to $10,000 in amount. You do not have to hire a lawyer to represent you in City Court. However, suits require written pleadings which can be too complicated for an individual to prepare on his own behalf. The technical rules of evidence are relaxed and all relevant evidence is admissible provided the Judge is satisfied as to its reliability, and he has sufficient competent evidence on which to base his judgement.
Though the procedure in the City Court of Port Allen is relatively informal, YOU MUST STILL PROVE BY COMPETENT EVIDENCE THAT THE DEFENDANT OWES YOU THE MONEY YOU SEEK. You do not have to have a lawyer, but it is advisable to get legal advise BEFORE you file a lawsuit.
The City Court of Port Allen exists as a service to you, however, it is not free. You will be required to pay a deposit before filing your suit. The Clerk can provide you with a schedule of fees and tell you how much the deposit will be. The deposit is an advance toward the actual cost incurred during the suit. The Clerk cannot predict exactly how much the final costs will be. If the cost exceeds the deposit, you will be required to post additional deposits as the case progresses. If a judgement is rendered in your favor, the Court may order the defendant to reimburse you for the costs. The Court cannot guarantee that you will get your money back. If you file the suit, you are responsible to the Court for payment of all costs.