| Accidents |
| 1. |
Can I pick up a copy of a police report or accident report at your court? |
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| Court Appearances |
| 1. |
The court date that I was given is inconvenient. Can I reschedule the court date? |
| 2. |
My court date was changed without my permission. Why? |
| 3. |
Do I have to come to court? |
| 4. |
What if I do not appear on my court date? |
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| General |
| 1. |
Where are you located? |
| 2. |
What are your hours? |
| 3. |
I would like to see court records. How do I gain access? |
| 4. |
What is my case number? Is it the number on my ticket? |
| 5. |
Why is my driver's license suspended? |
| 6. |
Is there any way to keep a charge "off my record"? |
| 7. |
How many years will the charge stay on my record? |
| 8. |
I wish to just plead guilty and pay my fine. Will the court allow me to do this? |
| 9. |
Do I need an attorney? |
| 10. |
How do I get a court-appointed attorney? |
| 11. |
How do I get a jury trial? |
| 12. |
I was found guilty. How do I appeal? |
| 13. |
Will I be going to jail if found guilty? |
| 14. |
How do I get a record expunged? |
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| Impounded Property |
| 1. |
My vehicle was towed. How do I get it back? |
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| Paying Fines |
| 1. |
I need to find out the exact amount of my fine. How can I find this out? |
| 2. |
What form of payment do you accept? |
| 3. |
Do I have to pay in person? |
| 4. |
Can I send someone else to pay a citation for me? |
| 5. |
Why do I have to pay court costs if I do not go to court? |
| 6. |
I received a ticket from another court. Can I pay it at Hoover Municipal Court? |
| 7. |
How do I fight this charge? |
| 8. |
After I go to court, will the judge give me additional time to pay? |
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| Traffic Citations |
| 1. |
I was charged with a traffic offense. Will this affect my insurance or cost me points on my driving record? |
| 2. |
Is there anything I can do about my ticket instead of just pleading guilty and paying the fine? |
| 3. |
I could not read my ticket, so I missed my court date. What do I do? |
| 4. |
How do I apply for Driving School? |
| 5. |
I previously pled guilty to a ticket. Is it too late for me to take driving school to have the ticket dismissed? |
| 6. |
Why wasn't I offered driving school prior to pleading guilty? |
| 7. |
I received a ticket for No Proof of Insurance - How much will that cost me? |
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| Warrants & Bond |
| 1. |
I was notified that there is a warrant for my arrest. What do I need to do to take care of this? |
| 2. |
What type of bond may I use? |
| 3. |
How do I press charges? |
| 4. |
I have changed my mind about prosecuting somebody and would like to drop the charges. How do I do this? |
| 5. |
If I cannot drop the charges, what happens if I refuse to appear or if I change my story? |
| 6. |
I posted a bond to get out of jail. My case is over now. Will I get that bond back? |
| 7. |
I posted bond for someone and want to come off that bond. What can I do? |
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| Accidents |
| Q. |
Can I pick up a copy of a police report or accident report at your court? |
| A. |
No, you must go to Hoover Police Records at 2020 Valleydale Road to obtain a copy of a report or contact records at 444-7739 or www.hooverpd.com
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| Court Appearances |
| Q. |
The court date that I was given is inconvenient. Can I reschedule the court date? |
| A. |
You must appear before the judge on your original court date to obtain a continuance. If you have an attorney, your attorney can file a notice to appear ance and a motion requesting a continuance on your case. If you have any questions or wish to receive more specific information pertaining to your case, please contact the Hoover Magistrate's Office at (205) 444-7526.
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| Q. |
My court date was changed without my permission. Why? |
| A. |
A case may be continued without the defendant's request for several circumstances. For example, the court may have received a request from the prosecutor or a witness. Or the court may have continued the case for administrative reasons, such as the cancellation of a docket. When we change a court date, we send a mailed notice to the address we have for you on record. It is your responsibility to make sure the court has your correct address at all times.
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| Q. |
Do I have to come to court? |
| A. |
Some charges may be satisfied by pleading guilty and paying associated fines before your scheduled court appearance. Such offenses will be listed on our schedule of fines. Other offenses will require a court appearance.
For information on pleading not-guilty, please click here.
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| Q. |
What if I do not appear on my court date? |
| A. |
An arrest warrant for failure to appear will be issued, and you will be arrested.
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| General |
| Q. |
Where are you located? |
| A. |
The Hoover Municipal Court is located on the corner of Highway 31 S and Valleydale Road. Click here for more information.
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| Q. |
What are your hours? |
| A. |
Our hours are maintained on our main department webpage. Take me there!
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| Q. |
I would like to see court records. How do I gain access? |
| A. |
Simply fill out a request for records and present it at our court window. Our court records are public and may be inspected at no charge. If you need copies, we do have to charge fees as set by the Administrative Director of Courts. The fees are currently $5.00 total for the first twenty pages, and then an additional $.50 per page for every page after the first twenty. If you need a copy certified, there will be an additional charge of $5.00 per page.
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| Q. |
What is my case number? Is it the number on my ticket? |
| A. |
The number on your ticket is a citation number. That number is used by the police department to track citations. We can also look up your case by that number. It is not your case number, however, please contact the court to obtain your case number.
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| Q. |
Why is my driver's license suspended? |
| A. |
Your driver's license could be suspended for a variety of reasons, including points, failing to appear on a traffic citation, or conviction for an offense that requires mandatory suspension. You will need to check with the Alabama Department of Public Safety for more specific information on your driver's license.
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| Q. |
Is there any way to keep a charge "off my record"? |
| A. |
There are multiple ways. If you fight a criminal charge and are found not guilty, that adjudication will be reflected on your arrest record. If you received a traffic citation for a moving violation, you may be eligible for Defensive Driving School. Upon completion of driving school, the charge against you would be dismissed. If you reach an agreement with the prosecutor, he may agree to have the charge dismissed or nol processed. Based on certain age-related criteria, you may be eligible for youthful offender status.
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| Q. |
How many years will the charge stay on my record? |
| A. |
If you are charged and convicted of a criminal offense, it will always stay on your record.
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| Q. |
I wish to just plead guilty and pay my fine. Will the court allow me to do this? |
| A. |
Under Rule 20 of the Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration magistrates are allowed to accept guilty pleas on minor traffic violations. These cases are listed on the Schedule of Fines and should be paid before your court date (which is listed at the bottom of your citation). If your citation is not listed on the Schedule of Fines then a court appearance is required. You may call our office at (205) 444-7526 to find out more information about your case.
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| Q. |
Do I need an attorney? |
| A. |
The court cannot offer legal advice; as such, we are precluded from making a determination about what would be in your best interests. However, you do have the right to an attorney. You may hire one if you wish, and one may be appointed at no cost to you upon your request if you are determined financially unable to provide one for yourself. If you feel you might need a court appointed attorney, please fill out an Indigent Defense Affidavit. You will need to sign this form under oath in front of a court officer.
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| Q. |
How do I get a court-appointed attorney? |
| A. |
You can apply for a court-appointed attorney when you appear in court. The judge will review your application to determine if you are eligible. Eligibility is based on financial need.
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| Q. |
How do I get a jury trial? |
| A. |
Municipal courts in Alabama do not hold jury trials. The State of Alabama safeguards your right to a jury trial by allowing any defendant convicted in municipal court to appeal to the appropriate Circuit Court, where that defendant can receive a full jury trial.
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| Q. |
I was found guilty. How do I appeal? |
| A. |
See our section on appeals. Please note that you only have fourteen days from your date of judgment to complete an appeal, or your appeal will be barred.
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| Q. |
Will I be going to jail if found guilty? |
| A. |
Hoover Municipal Court is a criminal court, and the vast majority of offenses we handle carry potential jail time. The judge will assess each case individually before determining the appropriate punishment.
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| Q. |
How do I get a record expunged? |
| A. |
Municipal courts in Alabama cannot expunge records.
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| Impounded Property |
| Q. |
My vehicle was towed. How do I get it back? |
| A. |
Hoover Municipal Court neither tows nor impounds vehicles. If your vehicle was towed by the Hoover Police Department, please contact the police department for information on how to retrieve your vehicle. Visit www.hooverpd.com for more information.
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| Paying Fines |
| Q. |
I need to find out the exact amount of my fine. How can I find this out? |
| A. |
Only the offenses listed on the Schedule of Fines may be paid without a formal court appearance. By paying your fine and court costs, you are pleading guilty to the offense and waiving your right to a trial on that offense. If you decide to pay your citation by mail, we must receive your payment in full on or before your court date. We will not honor your postmark date. It is your responsibility to make sure we have received the full payment before your court date. When sending payment through the mail, you must submit a certified check or money order made payable to: Hoover Municipal Court. No Personal or Business Checks will be accepted. For offenses that are not listed on the Schedule of Fines the municipal judge determines the amount of the fine for each individual case. Depending upon the charge, the judge can place up to $500.00 fine plus court costs that will vary based on the charge. There are some fines (i.e. DUI, Theft of Property) that can be much higher than this.
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| Q. |
What form of payment do you accept? |
| A. |
If paying by mail, the only acceptable form of payment is by Certified Cashiers Check or Money Order made payable to Hoover Municipal Court.
If paying in person, you may use Certified Cashiers Check, Money Order, Cash, Visa or Mastercard. No Personal Checks are accepted. Please click here for more information.
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| Q. |
Do I have to pay in person? |
| A. |
For most offenses on our schedule of fines, you do not have to pay in person. You may mail in payment in full (cashier's check or money orders only.) Please make sure we receive your payment by the court appearance date; we will not honor postmark dates. We cannot accept telephone or internet payments at this time. A few offenses on our schedule of fines, such as citations for failing to provide insurance, must be paid in person. Some offenses require payment in CASH only and must be made in person.
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| Q. |
Can I send someone else to pay a citation for me? |
| A. |
Yes, but you MUST first sign the back of the citation, pleading guilty to the offense. The person paying must present this SIGNED citation at the time of payment. No one else will be permitted to pay your citation for you without your signed copy of the citation, regardless of status (eg. parents, spouse).
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| Q. |
Why do I have to pay court costs if I do not go to court? |
| A. |
Court costs are administrative fees imposed by the state. The costs are not intended to cover a single defendant's specific court appearance. The costs are instead divided into various funds that finance the administration of the state court system and court-related agencies.
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| Q. |
I received a ticket from another court. Can I pay it at Hoover Municipal Court? |
| A. |
No, we can only accept payments for Hoover Municipal Court's tickets.
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| Q. |
How do I fight this charge? |
| A. |
You may enter a plea of not guilty. Please see important information on entering a not guilty plea by clicking here.
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| Q. |
After I go to court, will the judge give me additional time to pay? |
| A. |
Payment for fines and court costs is expected at the time that you appear in court.
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| Traffic Citations |
| Q. |
I was charged with a traffic offense. Will this affect my insurance or cost me points on my driving record? |
| A. |
Your insurance is a private contract between you and your insurance company; please check with them to determine the effect a traffic citation could have on your record. In Alabama, points are assessed by the Alabama Department of Public Safety; please check with them to see if and how many points will be assessed for a specific offense.
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| Q. |
Is there anything I can do about my ticket instead of just pleading guilty and paying the fine? |
| A. |
If you are not guilty of the offense in which you are charged, you should enter a plea of Not Guilty.
If you are guilty of the offense in which you are charged, but would like to keep the points from going on your drivers record, the Hoover Municipal Court offers a Defensive Driving School.
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| Q. |
I could not read my ticket, so I missed my court date. What do I do? |
| A. |
All tickets are issued at least several weeks prior to the court appearance date on the ticket. If you receive a ticket and feel the court date is unclear or ambiguous, please contact the court as soon as possible to determine your court appearance date. Our court must abide by the court date listed on the official copy of the citation, so if you missed that court date, a warrant for failure to appear has likely been issued.
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| Q. |
How do I apply for Driving School? |
| A. |
Please see our page on Defensive Driving.
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| Q. |
I previously pled guilty to a ticket. Is it too late for me to take driving school to have the ticket dismissed? |
| A. |
Yes. Driving school is no longer available once you have pled guilty to the citation.
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| Q. |
Why wasn't I offered driving school prior to pleading guilty? |
| A. |
The court cannot be responsible for listing all potential legal remedies or solutions in each particular case. If you have questions regarding alternatives to simply pleading guilty, please make sure to ask about those alternatives prior to entry of a plea.
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| Q. |
I received a ticket for No Proof of Insurance - How much will that cost me? |
| A. |
First - If you were involved in an automobile accident, you MUST appear in court - none of the following conditions apply to your situation.
If you were not involved in an accident, you may take care of your citation before a magistrate during normal operating hours instead of going before the Municipal Judge.
If you had insurance at the time, but did not have proof of insurance with you when the officer requested it - you will need to bring proof that your insurance was current on that vehicle and that it is still current - the citation will be dismissed with you paying the court cost of $134.00.
If you did not have insurance, but have obtained insurance since receiving the citation - you will need to bring proof that you have obtained insurance on that vehicle, you will be found guilty of the citation, with a reduced fine of $100.00 and Court Cost of $134.00 for a total of $234.00.
If you did not have insurance, and have not obtained insurance, you will be found guilty of the citation, with a fine of $300.00 and Court Costs of $134.00 for a total of $434.00
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| Warrants & Bond |
| Q. |
I was notified that there is a warrant for my arrest. What do I need to do to take care of this? |
| A. |
If you have had a Failure To Appear in Court warrant issued against you, you may be eligible to pay a warrant recall fee in order to have the warrant removed, without having to be arrested and make bond. For an outstanding warrant for anything other than Failure to Appear in Court, you must turn yourself in to the Hoover Police Department. After the warrant has been processed, you will be given an opportunity to post a bond and you will be given a court date. You may contact the Hoover Magistrate's Office at (205) 444-7526 to receive specific information pertaining to your case.
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| Q. |
What type of bond may I use? |
| A. |
Every warrant has a specific bond amount attached to it. As long as it is not a "Failure To Appear" charge, you may use a bonding company, property bond, or cash. If a "Failure To Appear" warrant has been issued for your arrest, you must use cash.
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| Q. |
How do I press charges? |
| A. |
Please file a report with the Hoover Police Department. The police will then attempt to direct you to the court of appropriate jurisdiction. See our warrants section for more info.
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| Q. |
I have changed my mind about prosecuting somebody and would like to drop the charges. How do I do this? |
| A. |
By obtaining an arrest warrant, you initiated the criminal proceedings against the defendant. However, the city prosecutor has the sole discretion to drop charges. Please remember that he can compel your appearance and testimony at court.
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| Q. |
If I cannot drop the charges, what happens if I refuse to appear or if I change my story? |
| A. |
You will be subpoenaed to testify. If you do not appear, you can be arrested for contempt. You also made sworn statements to obtain the arrest warrant. If you contradict those sworn statements while under oath during trial, you could face perjury charges.
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| Q. |
I posted a bond to get out of jail. My case is over now. Will I get that bond back? |
| A. |
If you used a bonding company, you entered into a private contract to pay them a fee. That company in turn posted your bond. That fee is usually non-refundable; check with your bonding company for details.
If you posted a cash bond directly to Hoover Municipal Court, once your fines and court costs (if any) have been satisfied, that bond will be returned to you. Checks are mailed out to the last address we have on record, so please make sure we have an updated address. The Court is allowed 30 days to return the bond.
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| Q. |
I posted bond for someone and want to come off that bond. What can I do? |
| A. |
You must obtain a bondsman's process or certified copy of the bond ("CCB") from the Hoover Municipal Court and return that person to jail.
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