St. Marys Municipal Court
The St. Marys Municipal Court consists of a Court Clerk, City Attorney, and Municipal Court Judge, and this court has jurisdiction over all the alleged violations of municipal ordinances within the city limits. The City Attorney serves as the prosecutor, and the Judge adjudicates all cases. Trials are conducted under the Code of Ordinances, Code for Municipal Courts, and the Kansas Rules of Evidence as adopted by the Kansas Legislature.
The Court Clerk maintains all court related documents, prepares the docket, issues complaints, warrants, subpoenas, and forwards traffic convictions to the DMV and class A & B misdemeanor convictions to the KBI. Court is held on the first and third Thursday of each month and annually hears about 300 cases. (Municipal courts are not a court of record (no transcript) and all proceedings are open to the public.)
Each police officer is assigned a book of pre-numbered tickets to issue to violators. The Police Chief reviews all tickets and submits them to the Court Clerk for processing and docketing. A defendant may pay their fine in advance or choose to appear in court (date noted on the ticket) to challenge the citation. Following court the tickets and dispositions are prepared (abstracted) for submission to the DMV and/or KBI. Since 2008 the DMV has required that all traffic convictions be submitted in an electronic format.
A person charged with an offense may be represented by a lawyer, but the cases are heard without a jury. Those convicted are assessed fines, court costs (set by Ordinance), and a state assessment. Payments are deposited in to the court fine checking account and each month all revenue received is remitted from this account to pay for any court ordered restitution, state assessments, and transfer of money to the General Fund and/or Police C.I.F. An accounts receivable log is maintained for unpaid fines and restitution. A second checking account is used to deposit bond posting amounts. (Anyone convicted in municipal court may appeal the decision to district court.)
The Court Clerk maintains all court related documents, prepares the docket, issues complaints, warrants, subpoenas, and forwards traffic convictions to the DMV and class A & B misdemeanor convictions to the KBI. Court is held on the first and third Thursday of each month and annually hears about 300 cases. (Municipal courts are not a court of record (no transcript) and all proceedings are open to the public.)
Each police officer is assigned a book of pre-numbered tickets to issue to violators. The Police Chief reviews all tickets and submits them to the Court Clerk for processing and docketing. A defendant may pay their fine in advance or choose to appear in court (date noted on the ticket) to challenge the citation. Following court the tickets and dispositions are prepared (abstracted) for submission to the DMV and/or KBI. Since 2008 the DMV has required that all traffic convictions be submitted in an electronic format.
A person charged with an offense may be represented by a lawyer, but the cases are heard without a jury. Those convicted are assessed fines, court costs (set by Ordinance), and a state assessment. Payments are deposited in to the court fine checking account and each month all revenue received is remitted from this account to pay for any court ordered restitution, state assessments, and transfer of money to the General Fund and/or Police C.I.F. An accounts receivable log is maintained for unpaid fines and restitution. A second checking account is used to deposit bond posting amounts. (Anyone convicted in municipal court may appeal the decision to district court.)
St. Marys Municipal Court is held the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month.
Please call (785)437-2311 to confirm the dates.
Please call (785)437-2311 to confirm the dates.
Court ClerkSarah Lamberson
P.O. Box 130 St. Marys, Kansas 66536 Telephone: (785) 437-2311 Fax: (785)437-2354 E-Mail: smccourtclerk@gmail.com Sarah began as Court Clerk in November of 2017. |
City AttorneyJames W. Morrison
323 Poyntz Avenue (Suite 204) Manhattan, Kansas 66502 Telephone: (785) 776-9208 Fax: (785) 776-9212 E-Mail: morrison@mfoilaw.com Website: www.mfoilaw.com James Morrison has been the city's attorney since 1978. |
Municipal Court Judge
John Watt
P.O. Box 130
St. Marys, Kansas 66536
John Watt has been the city's municipal court judge since 1990, and the Pottawatomie County Counselor since 2008.
P.O. Box 130
St. Marys, Kansas 66536
John Watt has been the city's municipal court judge since 1990, and the Pottawatomie County Counselor since 2008.
