Court Procedures

All Municipal Court sessions are held in the Richmond Heights Public Safety Building, 7447 Dale Avenue, Richmond Heights, Missouri.

The doors to the Public Safety Building will lock at 4pm and will re-open at 5:30 p.m. on court nights.  Court begins at 6:00 p.m. There will be a sign-in sheet just outside the courtroom; you will need to print your name on the sheet and have a seat in the courtroom until your name is called. The Judge generally calls the docket in the order in which you sign in.

Court rules are as follows:

  • Dress appropriately
  • Remain seated until your case is called
  • No talking
  • No hats
  • No sleeping
  • No eating, drinking or smoking
  • All pagers and cell phones must be turned off

When your name is called, you will approach the bench, have the charges against you read aloud, and you will be asked if you wish to plead guilty, not guilty, or guilty with an explanation.

If you plead guilty or guilty with an explanation:

  • You will be sentenced that evening.
  • Upon your plea, your sentence could include:
    • a fine of $1.00 to $1000.00, plus court costs per offense
    • up to 90 days in jail per offense
    • up to 2 years probation subject to conditions determined by the Judge.

If you plead not guilty:

Because of the number of cases before the Court each month and the need to have the officer and any witnesses present, you will be given a future court date for trial upon your plea of not guilty.

  • At trial, you have the right to testify or remain silent. If you remain silent, it is not considered an admission of guilt. If you testify, the Judge may consider any statement you make in determining your guilt or innocence.
  • You have the right to subpoena your own witnesses on your behalf and to question all witnesses who testify against you at trial.
  • If you are found not guilty at the end of the trial, your case is over.
  • If you are found guilty at the end of the trial, you may accept the decision of the Municipal Court or appeal your case to the Circuit Court of St. Louis County, where you may have a new trial before a different judge. The request for appeal must be made within 10 days of entry of the Municipal Court’s decision and cannot be extended for any reason. There is also a $30.00 filing fee you must pay to the Circuit Clerk of St. Louis County.

Complete details of the appeal procedure will be explained to you by Court personnel upon request.

This court is not conducted as a source of revenue. No part of any fine or costs goes to the Judge, the prosecutor or any police officer or city official. The efficiency of a police officer is not determined in any way the number of tickets he or she issues.