This process assumes a Legal Proceeding and Citation already exist. For more information on how to add these, please click the links below to see our help docs:
- Navigate either through your Dispatch Job or through Legal Proceedings to the Legal Proceedings page.
- In the Citations field, there will be a list of citations issued to a person via that Legal Proceeding.
- Click the link Prosecute at the end of the relevant citation.
- The Prosecute page will open. At the top will be a summary of the Citation, and a box to include it in the prosecution. This box defaults to being ticked, but if you do not want to include it you can untick the box by clicking on it.
- Hearing Details: This area includes the details of the hearing. Complete the following:
- Hearing Date and Time: Click the calendar icon to select the date the hearing is to take place. You can use the down arrows on the time drop-boxes to select the relevant time as well if required.
- Court House: Click an option to indicate where the hearing is to take place. Options can be added via Administration > Legal Proceedings Admin > Courts.
- Case Number: this is the court issued number for the hearing.
- Inspector Preparing Prosecution: record the name of the officer who will be preparing the prosecution here. This is an auto-complete field: simply start typing the name of the officer and select from the options offered.
- Judge: Select the judge who will be presiding over the hearing by clicking the down arrow. Options can be added to this dropbox via Administration > Legal Proceedings > Judges / Add
- Prosecuting Attorney: Select the attorney who will be representing you by clicking the down arrow. Options can be added to this dropbox via Administration > Legal Proceedings > Prosecuting Attorneys / Add
- Person of Interest's Attorney: This is to record who represented the person being prosecuted, or if they had representation.
- Name: This field is marked by default, assuming they have representation. Enter the name of the person's attorney into the free text field.
- No Attorney: mark if no attorney is representing the person (they may be representing themselves)
- Attorney Waived: mark if the client declined representation.
- Accused was this day: Use the options to mark if the person was present at the hearing or tried in absence. The options will default to indicating the person was present.
- Citation: This area allows you to enter outcomes for the hearing. You have two options:
- Enter one plea and outcome for entire citation: This option is used primarily for animal welfare breaches. Use the drop-down options to note the person's plea and how they were found. You can then add outcome notes also. This is usually used to record criminal outcomes.
- Enter plea and outcome for each violation: This option allows you to add individual fines or fees and calculates the total fees owed. Options can be added to this list via Administration > Legal Proceedings > Legal Proceeding Prosecution Fines.
- Animals from Citations: This is a reference field that simply shows animals linked to the citation the prosecution came from.
- Charges / Citation Notes: an additional free text field where you can add notes.
- Fines / Fees: Used primarily in conjunction with "Enter one plea and outcome for entire citation", this field allows you to add court-awarded fees. Options can be added to this list via Administration > Legal Proceedings > Legal Proceeding Prosecution Fines.
- Fine / Fee Payments: This area is used to record payments made against the court issued fines by the person. DO NOT USE THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE SAVED YOUR PROGRESS. When you are ready, you can either enter a payment amount by overtyping the Amount field or use the Pay remainder option to enter the entire amount. Click the down arrow to select the person making the payment and then click Add Payment. This will take you away from the Prosecution page and to a Receipt page, so make sure you've saved your progress before you continue. Complete the receipt as normal.
- Beneath this field is an assortment of options for possible outcomes for the hearing. Mark those that are relevant and enter the details into the adjoining text boxes as required.
- Outcome Notes: enter any relevant notes into this free text field.
- Appeal Bond: free text box for a $$ amount
- Appeal Noted on: click the calendar box to record the date the person officially lodged an appeal against the court's decision.
- Appeal withdrawn on: click the calendar box to record the date the person officially withdrew their appeal.
- Click Save at any time to save your progress.
Comments