The City of Twin Oaks hereby elects to have all violations of
its municipal ordinances heard and determined by the Judge of the
Circuit Court of St. Louis County, Missouri, the County in which the
City of Twin Oaks is located.
The Division of the Circuit Court of St. Louis County, Missouri,
which hears and determines violations of the ordinances of the City
of Twin Oaks shall be known as the "Municipal Division of the Circuit
Court of St. Louis County, Missouri."
The rules governing the procedure and practice in the Municipal
Court shall be those established and promulgated by the Supreme Court
of Missouri on July 1, 1959, and such subsequent rules as the Supreme
Court shall from time to time establish and promulgate; and any provision
in these ordinances which shall be in conflict with such rules is
hereby repealed.
The Associate Circuit Judge may establish a Violations Bureau
in the City of Twin Oaks, and shall establish such a Bureau when a
request therefor is made by the Board of Aldermen of the City of Twin
Oaks. The Violations Bureau shall operate under the supervision of
the Circuit Court, and the Associate Circuit Judge hearing and determining
violations of the ordinances of the City of Twin Oaks, and shall be
operated in accordance with the rules of the Supreme Court and the
rules of the Circuit Court. All expenses incident to the operation
of the Violations Bureau, including salaries of clerical personnel,
shall be paid by the City of Twin Oaks. The City shall provide suitable
quarters for the Violations Bureau. The Violations Bureau shall accept
pleas of guilty to certain violations of traffic ordinances designated
by the Associate Circuit Judge and shall accept payments of fines
established by the Associate Circuit Judge and Court costs assessed
on said pleas of guilty.
All prosecutions for the violation of City ordinances shall
be instituted by information and may be based upon a complaint. Proceedings
shall be in accordance with the Supreme Court Rule governing practices
and procedures in proceedings before Municipal Judges.
In the trial of violations of the ordinances of the City, a
copy of a City ordinance which is certified by the Clerk of the City
shall constitute prima facie evidence of such ordinance. If such certified
copy is on file with the Clerk of the Municipal Division and readily
available for inspection by the parties, the Judge may take judicial
notice of such ordinance without further proof.
When a fine is assessed for violation of an ordinance, it shall
be within the discretion of the Judge assessing the fine to provide
for the payment of the fine on an installment basis under such terms
and conditions as he/she may deem appropriate.
Notwithstanding any provision of law, Supreme Court Rule, or
Court Operating Rule, in a proceeding for a municipal ordinance violation
or any other proceeding before a Municipal Court if the charge carries
the possibility of fifteen (15) days or more in jail or confinement,
a defendant shall not be charged any fee for obtaining a police report,
probable cause statement, or any video relevant to the traffic stop
or arrest. Such police report, probable cause statement, or video
shall be provided by the prosecutor upon written request by the defendant
for discovery.