What does a plea of Guilty mean?
If you plead guilty, you are admitting to the Judge that you have committed acts which violate a valid City law. The Judge will then decide what penalty will be assessed. At this time, you will have an opportunity to tell the Judge any special circumstances that you believe lessen the seriousness of the violation. You cannot plead guilty and then in your explanation to the Judge say that you did not violate the law. After listening to your explanation, the Judge will assess a penalty, considering the seriousness of the offense and any explanation offered by you. Remember, if you plead guilty, the Judge will find you guilty. Any explanation offered by you can only affect the penalty. When you plead guilty you will be giving up the following rights: To hire an attorney to represent you; to have a trial before a court or jury; to call witnesses to testify for you; to testify for yourself; to cross-examine any witnesses that the City may call; and the right to appeal the judgment.
