§ 11-65. Payment of fines; court hearings.

(a)

If the person elects not to contest the citation, the person shall pay in full the applicable reduced civil penalty as set forth in section 11-67 to the clerk of the court within fourteen (14) days after issuance of the citation.

(b)

If the person cited elects to pay the applicable reduced civil penalty set forth in section 11-67, the person shall be deemed to have admitted the infraction and waived the right to a hearing. If the person cited fails to pay the civil penalty by the fourteenth day after issuance of the citation or fails to request a court hearing within the time prescribed, the person shall have waived any right to contest the citation, and a judgment shall be entered against the person cited in an amount up to the maximum civil penalty, which shall not exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00).

(c)

If the person elects to contest the citation the person shall appear in court before a county court judge on such date and time as provided for on the citation to request a hearing date. The date and time on the citation to request a hearing date shall not be sooner than twenty-one (21) days after the citation is issued.

(d)

A county judge, after a hearing on the citation, shall make a determination whether or not a violation of this article has been committed. If a violation is found to have occurred, the county judge may impose a civil penalty up to the maximum civil penalty in an amount not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) plus all applicable court costs.

(e)

The judge may provide for the civil penalty to be paid within such time as the judge determines to be appropriate. If the person found to be in violation fails to pay the fine within the time provided, a civil judgment shall be entered against that person in the amount up to the maximum civil penalty not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00).

(f)

Should the person cited schedule a hearing as provided for herein, and thereafter fail to appear at such hearing, the person shall be deemed to have waived the right to contest the citation, and a civil judgment shall be entered against the person in an amount up to the maximum civil penalty. Provided, however, that the court shall have the discretion to continue or reschedule any hearing when it determines that doing so will further the interest of justice. In such an event, the clerk shall notify the code enforcement officer and the person cited of the date and time of the new hearing.

(Ord. No. 94-09, § 5, 5-10-94; Ord. No. 95-14, § 2, 6-27-95; Ord. No. 2016-13 , § 2, 6-28-16)