Pleasant Hill Municipal Court Lawyers

This Page Teaches:

Essential Information you will need for Pleasant Hill Municipal Court
How to manage an Accident case in Pleasant Hill
Specific driving offenses [lawyer tutorial]

Matt Hamilton is the Best Lawyer for Pleasant Hill Municipal Court.

Why Hire Him? What are his advantages?

Cost. Matt Hamilton handles more Pleasant Hill tickets than any other lawyer. Volume creates “economics of scale,” meaning it costs Matt less to resolve Pleasant Hill Municipal Court tickets; savings he passes on to you. Matt Hamilton is from Pleasant Hill and his office is in Pleasant Hill. He has virtually no travel time to and from court. Choosing Matt will cost you less.
Experience. Matt or Joe Hamilton have attended Pleasant Hill Municipal Court each and every time it has been in session for a least the last forty eight (48!). No attorneys can claim greater experience with Pleasant Hill Municipal Court than Matt and Joe Hamilton. The Hamiltons handle more cases, in a more detailed manner, over a longer period of time, and with greater frequency than any other law firm.
Success Rate. We keep defendants out of jail, traffic tickets, DWI’s, and crimes off your criminal record. We keep your driving record clean. We keep points off your driver’s license. Each case is different. Call us. Let’s discuss your specific goals.
Reputation. Matt and Joe Hamilton have unparalleled prominence in Pleasant Hill Municipal Court. The Hamiltons have handled traffic and criminal defense since 1969. These lawyers are held in high esteem for their honesty and professionalism. Ask around. You will find we are the best for Pleasant Hill cases.

Where is Pleasant Hill Municipal Court?

203 Paul Street
Pleasant Hill, MO 64080
Telephone#: 816/540-3135

Court Clerk and Administrator: Whitney Weber
City Prosecutor: Tracy Spradlin
Municipal Judge: The Honorable Roger Potter

Important Pleasant Hill Municipal Court Website Links

When is Pleasant Hill Municipal Court?

Pleasant Hill Municipal Court typically has its sessions on the 2nd or 3rd Tuesday of the month starting at 6:30 p.m. Cases with attorneys are typically handled before then. If you have to appear before the judge, show up at 6:00 p.m.

Pleasant Hill court is open at City Hall Monday through Friday – 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

You will need to show up at court at 5:30 pm if you are our client and need to appear at court. We need to go you’re your case with you, have you sign a few documents, and we will explain exactly what will happen in advance so you can have that advantage.

Can I Get a Continuance Without a Lawyer in Pleasant Hill Municipal Court?

Pleasant Hill Municipal Court allows a one-time only continuance by phone prior to your court date. These continuances can be received by calling the Court Administrator (Court Clerk) at 816/540-3135.

Do not leave a message on the recorder. You will need to the Court Clerk personally. Do not pester her.

How do I pay Pleasant Hill Municipal Court?

The Pleasant Hill Court online payment system is an option. However, we recommend against such action as you may be unwittingly pleading guilty to a conviction you will later regret. Having said that’ Pleasant Hill can take cash, check, Money Orders, and MasterCard/Visa credit cards.

The Hamilton attorneys recommend against using a credit card as there is a fee of several percent for the convenience of using this method of payment. This is actually a fee that the credit card company charges the court, and the court passes on to you, the defendant.

Can I Get “Time to Pay” my Pleasant Hill Municipal Court Fines and Costs?

Judge Roger Potter will give time to pay in certain circumstances. Therefore, you need not take all the money you are paying to the court at that time. That is the good part. The bad part is that you will have to appear each and every month that you are on a payment plan.

Further, you should pay a good, significant amount of money down each and every month until your payment plan is paid in full. Furthermore, Judge Potter grants “time to pay” in his discretion as judge. This means if you want it approved, better make a sizable down payment at court. Make it at least $100.00.

Cases handled with an attorney may present other obstacles with respect to “time to pay” Pleasant Hill Municipal traffic tickets. The best advice is to talk with your Pleasant Hill attorney as to whether your particular case is eligible.

How Many Driver’s License Points will I Lose?

Each traffic ticket carries with it a corresponding number of points it will take off a driver’s license. Other states have similar systems and Missouri reports to them, too. Some people decide to “just pay” their traffic ticket without realizing it will result in a conviction that will suspend or revoke their driver’s license.

Follow this link to the Definitive Guide to the Driver’s License Points System. The Guide will help you determine the risk to your driver’s license. Then, you can plan what is in your best interest.

What if I Get a Driving While Intoxicated (DWI / DUI) in Pleasant Hill Municipal Court?

Pleasant Hill Court only handles misdemeanor first, and second time Driving While Intoxicated DWI’s.

Bring your lawyer a copy of your tickets and any other paperwork the police have given you.

Did you take the Breathalyzer or did you refuse? The costs of your DWI case will depend upon this. The issue of when and how your driver’s license will suspended or reinstated will also depend upon whether you took the Breathalyzer.

Expect two years of probation. Expect to take the SATOP course and Victim’s Impact Panel (VIP). Expect to pay several hundred dollars into Pleasant Hill Municipal Court.

The DWI/DUI is the most expensive traffic ticket one can receive and it earns its reputation. You will absolutely need an attorney for a DWI/DUI as taking a conviction is worse.

What do I do with a Pleasant Hill Driving While Revoked or Driving While Suspended Traffic Ticket?

Your first step will be to attempt to get your driver’s license reinstated. Call the Missouri Department of Revenue Driver License Bureau Points Division at 573/751-4475. Key in your driver’s license number and wait the fifteen to thirty-five minutes for an operator to come on the line. Ask what you need to do to get your driver’s license reinstated. Write it down and do that.

There are two reasons for this.

It will reduce the fine amount you will pay in Pleasant Hill Municipal for the driving while revoked charge.
It will reduce your risk of getting multiple driving while revoked or driving while suspended charges. These cost between $900.00 and $1300.00 each, depending upon the jurisdiction. You do not what to have multiple driving while suspended charges.

What Can I Expect if I Get in an Auto Accident in Pleasant Hill Municipal Court?

You will first want to call your insurance company and create a claims file for your Pleasant Hill auto accident. The Pleasant Hill Municipal Prosecutor will require proof that your insurance has paid for the damages or is in the process of doing so.

If you do not have insurance, you will either need a statement from the party that got hit that there were no damages, all damages were taken care of, or you are making payments.

With this, save money for fines, court costs, and attorney’s fees. The attorneys at Hamilton and Associates can keep your Pleasant Hill car crash off your driving record, keep your criminal record clean, and save you any points off your driver’s license.

Call us with the details as each traffic accident is unique and will present issues we will need to address.

What if I Get Caught With Drugs in Pleasant Hill Municipal Court?

Drug cases in Pleasant Hill Municipal Court have varied considerably over the last several years. There have been changes in the policy of the Prosecutor’s office and you will want to call the attorneys at Hamilton and Associates to get an up to date idea of what one may expect.

Historically, there has been probation (one or two years), community service (8-20 hours), fines, court costs, and attorney’s fees. Presently, in many cases, small time drug offenses can be handled simply by paying fines, court costs, and attorney’s fees. Other cases, such as pills, methamphetamine, and the like are equally solvable, but cost more.

Your main concern will be whether your Pleasant Hill drug case has been referred to the Cass County Prosecuting attorney for felony prosecution. You will probably not know this in advance of your court date.

In the end, it is highly likely we can keep any drug charge off of your criminal record and keep you from jail time. Obviously, there are many different drugs, circumstances from which one might be arrested, and not everybody is the same.

Call your attorney at our office at 816/540-4040 to give us the specifics. We can then advise you of what you may expect.

What Will I Pay if I Do Not hire a Lawyer, and just want to take the conviction?

It is an option to Plead Guilty, take a Conviction, Lose the Points of your Driver’s License, face Jail time, and other repercussions. How much will Pleasant Hill court charge you?

Pleasant Hill posts a fine schedule for defendants who wish to represent themselves, and plead guilty. The fine schedule is found here:

https://www.pleasanthill.com/files/documents/CourtFeeSchedule1314060523091321PM.pdf