FAQs • Columbia County • CivicEngage

Should I talk to a lawyer before entering a plea?: In many cases, this is a good idea. The judge, at your request, will continue the arraignment giving you time to look for an attorney. The judge will request that you have your lawyer put in a notice of appearance. This should be done before your next court date. If you fail to appear at any hearing, your bond or bail will be forfeited and the judge will issue a bench warrant for your arrest.

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District Court

1. I have a case in collection, what do I do?: If your case has been sent to collection, contact District Court at (509) 382-4812.

2. Who do I contact about compliance monitoring?: Contact the District Court Administrator, Kerry Much, at 382-4812, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. (Closed during the noon hour)

3. What if I have more than one ticket?: If you were issued a green (infraction) ticket along with a criminal (goldenrod) ticket, these are considered separate violations and different rules apply to each case type.
You will be summoned for teh criminal charge, in most cases the green ticket (infraction) will track with the ciminal case. However, any questions should be directed to an attorney for legal inquires and the court for procedual inquires.

4. What should I wear and how should I act in court?: For courtroom rules, guidelines, and a dress code, view courtroom conduct.

5. What is an arraignment?: An arraignment is generally your first appearance in court on the citation or charge. The judge will inform you of the charge and explain it. Next it will be confirmed that you understand your constitutional rights as explained at the beginning of the court session, and finally the maximum penalties, if any, will be stated. No testimony is taken or evidence presented at the arraignment.
Please note: If this is a first appearance on a charge of driving under the influence or assault fourth degree domestic violence, you may not waive arraignment or have an attorney appear on your behalf without your presence. You will be informed of your right to counsel and be given instruction on how to apply for the public defender.

All persons accused of any crime or traffic offense that might result in a jail sentence have the following rights:

To have a lawyer present with you at all hearings
If you cannot afford to hire one to represent you, one will, one will be appointed to represent you (you may be required to reimburse the county in full or in part for this expense)
To represent yourself without a lawyer
To a public and speedy trial
To cross-examine any witness who testifies against you
To call witnesses to testify on your behalf and have the court compel their attendance
To testify or not testify yourself; if you choose not to, no one can make you testify
To appeal to the Superior Court within 30 days if you are convicted after a not guilty plea

7. Should I talk to a lawyer before entering a plea?: In many cases, this is a good idea. The judge, at your request, will continue the arraignment giving you time to look for an attorney. The judge will request that you have your lawyer put in a notice of appearance. This should be done before your next court date. If you fail to appear at any hearing, your bond or bail will be forfeited and the judge will issue a bench warrant for your arrest.

8. How do I obtain a lawyer if I cannot afford one?: At the arraignment, the judge will explain your right to a court-appointed attorney. You should indicate to the judge that you are financially unable to hire a lawyer, and you will be provided an application for court-appointed counsel. The judge will review your application form and determine your eligibility for a public defender according to the appropriate financial guidelines.
If you qualify, the judge will sign the order appointing your case to the public defender. You will go the clerk’s window for a copy with the attorney’s name, address, and telephone number. The court will notify the public defender of the appointment and it is your responsibility to contact the public defender. You must remain in contact with the public defender and be available for all meetings as requested by the lawyer.

9. What happens if I plead guilty?: If you plead guilty it means you admit the charge and the elements to prove the charge. By pleading guilty you waive your constitutional rights and in most cases you will be sentenced right then. However, you may speak on your behalf at sentencing. The judge will then usually review the police report, if available, and sentence you.

10. What happens if I plead not guilty?: A not guilty plea denies the charge and none of your constitutional rights are waived unless you expressly wish to do so. You are presumed innocent, and the prosecution must prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at a subsequent trial. The next hearing will be a pretrial and trial-setting conference.
You and your lawyer, if you have one, are required to be present. At this hearing, pretrial motions and a trial date are set. Information about all the evidence in the case and witness names will be exchanged. If at any stage you waived your right to a jury trial, you or your attorney will receive a notice of your non-jury trial.

11. How do I obtain a continuance?: The court cannot continue a court date or hearing based upon receipt of a telephone call. Requests to continue must be in writing and arrive prior to the court date or contact your attorney. Please mail to:
535 Cameron Street, Dayton, WA 99328
Third floor
Dayton, WA 99328

12. What happens if I am sentenced to jail?: If the court sentences you to serve a day or days in jail, the judge will arrange the report date. Most commitments are served at Columbia County Jail, and the court will notify the appropriate facility of your report date.

13. What must I do if I can't pay my entire fine today?: If you can’t pay all of your fine at sentencing, the clerk will work out a time payment agreement. This is a contract with the court for installment payments and must be strictly adhered to. Read the agreement carefully, as failure to follow the terms can result in additional fees, a possible suspension of your driving privilege, and assignment of the account to a collection agency. You may also be required to appear in court for additional hearings.

14. What happens if I fail to appear in court?: If you are scheduled to appear in court but fail to do so without prior consent of the court, the judge is authorized to issue a bench warrant upon either a probable cause finding or good cause finding for your arrest. This means that you are subject to arrest on the warrant.

15. What if my mailing address has changed?: If your address changes at any time, please notify the court immediately and in writing at:
535 Cameron Street
Dayton, WA 99328
If you are represented by a lawyer, also notify your lawyer immediately.