Defendants charged with a city ordinance violation have what right to appeal?

Defendants charged with a city ordinance violation have what right to appeal?

• A. They have a right to appeal
• B. They do not have a right to appeal
• C. They may appeal only to the Court of Appeals
• D. They may appeal only after a jury trial

Answer: (A)

Defendants charged with a city ordinance violation have a right to appeal to the county court by way of a trial de novo. Because city ordinance offenses are handled in municipal court as Class C misdemeanors, a conviction isn’t final until the county court reviews the case in a new trial. This appeal is not a direct appeal to the Court of Appeals; it’s a fresh trial in the county court, where you can introduce new evidence and have the case reconsidered on its merits. The right to appeal exists regardless of whether there was a jury in municipal court (which there isn’t for these offenses), and the county court’s review is a full re-examination, not a limited appellate review.

Defendants charged with a city ordinance violation have a right to appeal to the county court by way of a trial de novo. Because city ordinance offenses are handled in municipal court as Class C misdemeanors, a conviction isn’t final until the county court reviews the case in a new trial. This appeal is not a direct appeal to the Court of Appeals; it’s a fresh trial in the county court, where you can introduce new evidence and have the case reconsidered on its merits. The right to appeal exists regardless of whether there was a jury in municipal court (which there isn’t for these offenses), and the county court’s review is a full re-examination, not a limited appellate review.