The Arlington Municipal Court wants citizens to know they have a variety of options for resolving their Class C Misdemeanor citations, including payment plans and community service.
Under Texas law, Class C Misdemeanor crimes are punishable by fine only. A judge or jury may not assess jail time as punishment for the offense. However, if a person does not appear for a citation within the time allowed or fails to pay the fine and court costs assessed upon conviction, a warrant for the defendant's arrest may be issued.
Arlington Chief Municipal Judge Stewart Milner says more than 100,000 cases are processed through the city's court each year. For the past 10 years, the Arlington Municipal Court has provided defendants with many payment options, including the ability to complete community service if indigent. Judge Milner explains that even after a warrant has been issued, the defendant may request a payment plan, community service, time-served credit, or dismissal of certain offenses as allowed by law.
All persons who are unable to immediately pay the fine and costs of a conviction may request a 30-day extension or a payment plan. Defendants with household incomes that fall under 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines may also apply to work community service hours to pay the fine owed.
Approximately 7,250 people have been qualified as indigent by the Arlington court since 2006, resulting in the completion of more than 190,368 hours of community service. Persons are required to complete community service hours with the City of Arlington, Mission Arlington, the Salvation Army, Goodwill, or any other governmental entity or non-profit agency that provides services to the general public and enhances the social welfare and general well-being of the community.
Under State law, a judge also has the authority to waive payment and community service hours if the defendant presents proof that all alternative methods of discharging the fine or costs would impose an undue hardship upon the defendant.
Per Judge Milner, defendants should only be jailed to sit out the fine owed on a Class C offense if they willfully refuse to exercise one of the many options available to help them resolve their citation.
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