Municipal Court
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does the court take cases involving Juveniles?
Only for traffic violations by a person 16 yrs and older.
Does the court allow me to sue someone for damages?
No, this would a be a civil matter, you would be referred to District Court in Yakima.
Does the court accept payment of a ticket given to me in another county or state?
No, the Municipal Court can only accept payment for tickets given to you by a Sunnyside and/or Mabton Police Officer.
If I move, can I have my case moved to another court?
No, There is no change of venue in Municipal Court.
If I receive an infraction (green ticket) where on the ticket can I find my court date?
When you receive an infraction, read the back, it gives you all the information you need to request court or pay the ticket. You must submit the infraction within the time specified in order to avoid additional penalties. Once requested, a court date will be assigned and you will receive notice of the hearing by mail.
The police were called in regards to myself and my spouse or significant other arguing or fighting and he/she was taken into custody, can I call in the morning to drop the charges?
No, under the domestic violence laws, the victim is not the person pressing charges, the City of Sunnyside holds that responsibility, therefore, you cannot drop the charges, the process will continue and the defendant will have to appear in court.
If a no contact order has been set in place how can I have it removed?
The request to lift a no contact order must be presented in open court the victim needs to be in court any Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. You must first check in with the court office so that your specific file can be pulled and placed in the courtroom for the Judge’s review. You will be placed at the end of the docket and called forward accordingly.
What happens if I fail to pay a fine?
Once you have signed a payment agreement, if you fail to keep current you will be set for a time payment hearing, at that time you are able to speak with the Judge and explain the reason why you have fallen behind on your payments and usually a new review date will be set for the Judge to see that you have caught up with your payments. Although, if you fail to appear you risk having the ticket forwarded to the Department of Licensing as non-paid and an additional charge of $52 will be added to your existing fine amount owed. If the fine is for a criminal charge a bench warrant will be ordered.
If I have an outstanding warrant how can I take care of it?
The request to quash a warrant must be presented in open court the defendant needs to be in court any Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. You must first check in with the court office so that your specific file can be pulled out of the warrant drawer and placed in the courtroom for the Judge’s review. You will be placed at the end of the docket and called forward accordingly.
How can I get a copy of my record?
There is a Records Check form that needs to be filled out and signed – you will be informed at that time that you will only receive information regarding cases in our court. You will also be informed if there are other charges elsewhere and where you need to go to acquire that information. There is no cost for this service.
