MisdemeanorThe Misdemeanor Department maintains the arrest paperwork on misdemeanor charges, and prepares all county jail commitments for each defendant appearing at First Appearance court hearings that are held 365 days a year. The Misdemeanor Department also maintains the court records for misdemeanor offenses. A misdemeanor is a violation of a Florida Statute that is punishable by a fine, court costs, probation, Misdemeanor offenses include petit theft, worthless checks, prostitution related charges, possession of marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia, resisting arrest without violence, In addition to criminal misdemeanor cases, the county criminal court maintains civil infraction cases. The ordinance violation cases are punishable by a fine or civil penalty, and they are littering, boating, animal control, water restrictions. What happens after an arrest on a misdemeanor charge and I am released from the Putnam County Jail? What if I have a change of address? What is an arraignment? If you have a private attorney, a written plea of not guilty may be entered in your behalf, and a waiver of your appearance at the arraignment hearing may be filed. If no such document has been filed with the Clerk’s Office, you must appear in person. If you enter an oral plea of not guilty to the charges, a trial or non-jury date may be set by the court at that time. If you enter a plea of guilty or no contest to the charges, you may be sentenced at that time. If you qualify for the Public Defender, you may ask the court at your arraignment to appoint the Public Defender to represent you in future court hearings. Can I change my court date after notification? What happens if I fail to appear for my court date? Can anyone attend a criminal proceeding? What if I’ve been subpoenaed? If you are served with a subpoena and have any questions, or are unable to attend, you must contact the agency or attorney that subpoenaed you. If you are subpoenaed by the Clerk’s Office in reference to a civil infraction and are unable to attend, you must notify the Clerk’s Office prior to the date specified. If you fail to respond to a subpoena, you may be held in contempt of court. |
Misdemeanor |