Court Procedures

The Municipal Court for the City of Osage Beach is a division of the 26th Circuit Court of Missouri. Cases in the Municipal Court involve alleged violations of ordinances in the City of Osage Beach. If you have received a citation for a municipal ordinance violation, you have certain rights and responsibilities. The purpose of this brochure is to help you understand these rights and responsibilities.

The Docket

The docket is the court calendar. This court date and time are reserved specifically for you to appear in Osage Beach Municipal Court to answer to the charge(s) filed. If you do not know if you are on the docket, ask the Bailiff. If it is, have a seat in the courtroom.

The Bailiff will call Court to order. When the Judge calls the names on the docket, it would be helpful to clearly state “Here” or “Present” and raise your hand when your name is called so the Judge knows who is in Court that day.

Appointment of Counsel

If the Prosecuting Attorney is requesting that you be sentenced to jail for the violation for which you are charged, or it appears to the Judge that there is a reasonable likelihood that you will be sentenced to jail, the Judge will notify you before accepting a plea. If jail is a possible punishment and you are not able to hire an attorney, the Court may appoint an attorney for you. You do not have a constitutional right to have an attorney appointed if jail is not a likely punishment. Attorney appointment is subjected to the verification process established by the Missouri Supreme Court.

Missouri Public Defenders DO NOT takes cases in Municipal Division.

The Arraignment

An arraignment is your first appearance in Municipal Court. When you are given a citation, you are also given a court date and time to appear in Municipal Court. When you appear at your arraignment, your name will be called. When your name is called, approach the bench. The Judge will read the charge(s) that have been filed against you. If you do not understand the charge(s), ask the Judge to explain it. The Judge will then ask how you plead to the charge(s).

The Plea

The only pleas allowed in Missouri are “Guilty” or “Not Guilty”.