Court Location
Newcastle Municipal Court is held in the City Council Chambers at Multi Purpose Center, located at 705 NW 10th Street. Your date of arraignment (reading of charges and entering a plea) will be printed or written on your citation. Court dates for trial are assigned at arraignment.
When You Get A Citation
Typically an officer issuing a citation will release an individual "upon their own recognizance". This means that in lieu of an arrest, a person is promising to comply with the penalty required by the citation and/or make a court appearance on the court date printed on the ticket. If a person fails to either appear in court or comply with the penalty, a warrant for arrest may be issued to compel the person to comply. Additionally, a Failure to Appear charge may be added, incurring additional fines, and the entire amount may be sent to a collection agency which can affect creditworthiness.
Some violations have only a fine and fees, while others are "correctable". Correctable violations generally have a smaller penalty for correcting the problem that led to the citation. An example of this is a ticket for an expired tag. After renewing a tag, the individual may present documentation to the Court which could result in the fine being reduced or removed.
While many people choose to simply pay their fines and fees before the deadline, every person has a right to their day in court to have their case heard by the judge. Defendants are required to make an initial appearance at court for arraignment, where they are given an opportunity to hear the charge and enter a plea. (Guilty, Not Guilty, or No Contest) Defendants pleading Guilty or No Contest may request payment arrangements or a reduction of the penalties during arraignment, but there are no guarantees. Defendants pleading Not Guilty will be required to post bond in the amount of the citation, and will have a trial date set by the Court where they may make their case by presenting arguments, calling witnesses, or offering evidence.
QUESTIONS regarding citations should be directed to the Newcastle Municipal Court Clerk:
PAYMENT may be made:
Office hours are Monday through Thursday 7:30am to 5:30pm, Friday 7:30am to 11:30am, except holidays.
Defendants may request an extension of time to appear for arraignment, effectively extending the deadline for payment or court appearance.
Fine and Bond Schedule:
The fines and bonds assessed in out-of-court payments are set by the Municipal Judge. A listing of these can be found here. The maximum punishment that can be assessed by our Court is $249, and/or 30 days in the County Jail. This maximum punishment has been established for charges of DUI, DUI/APC, DWI, Eluding, Battery on a Police Officer, and Possession of Marijuana or Drugs. The Municipal Judge may assess any fine up to the maximum limit on any charge which is taken to court.
Insurance Citations:
All persons receiving insurance citations must bring in proper proof of insurance to the Court Clerk's office before your court date. This can be dismissed with no charge. We must have an insurance verification form from your insurance company showing the vehicle is covered that you were driving. The insurance must have been valid on the vehicle before the citation was issued. If the citation is dismissed, there will be no charge. Otherwise, payment will be accepted at City Hall, (120 NE 2nd Street) or by mail P.O. Box 179, Newcastle, OK 73065.
Warrants:
If you have a warrant for your arrest with the City of Newcastle you may call the Police Department at 405-387-5525 for further information.