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<section article="gcr" article_name="Criminal Law" number="10-137" title_number="10" title_name="Crimes Against Public Health, Conduct, and Sensibilities" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Crimes Against Public Health and Safety">
  <level label="a">
    <text>A person who violates § 10–136 of this part shall be issued a citation under this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A citation for a violation of § 10–136 of this part may be issued by:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>a police officer authorized to make arrests; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>in State forestry reservations, State parks, historic monuments, and recreation areas, a forest or park warden under § 5–206(a) of the Natural Resources Article.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A person authorized under this section to issue a citation shall issue the citation if the person has probable cause to believe that the person charged is committing or has committed a violation of § 10–136 of this part.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the form of citation issued to an adult for a violation of § 10–136 of this part shall be as prescribed by the District Court and shall be uniform throughout the State.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The citation issued to an adult shall contain:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the name and address of the person charged;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the statute allegedly violated;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the location, date, and time that the alleged violation occurred;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>the fine that may be imposed;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>a notice that the District Court promptly shall send to the person charged a summons to appear for trial;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>the signature of the person issuing the citation; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>a space for the person charged to sign the citation.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The form of citation issued to a minor shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>be prescribed by the State Court Administrator;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>be uniform throughout the State; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>contain the information listed in § 3–8A–33(b) of the Courts Article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The issuing jurisdiction shall forward a copy of the citation and a request for trial to the District Court in the district having venue.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The District Court promptly shall schedule the case for trial and summon the defendant to appear.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Willful failure of the defendant to respond to a summons described in paragraph (2) of this subsection is contempt of court.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>For purposes of this section, a violation of § 10–136 of this part is a Code violation and is a civil offense.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A person charged who is under the age of 18 years shall be subject to the procedures and dispositions provided in Title 3, Subtitle 8A of the Courts Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A person charged who is at least 18 years old shall be subject to the provisions of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Adjudication of a Code violation under § 10–136 of this part is not a criminal conviction for any purpose and does not impose any of the civil disabilities ordinarily imposed by a criminal conviction.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>In any proceeding for a Code violation under § 10–136 of this part:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the State has the burden to prove the guilt of the defendant to the same extent as is required by law in the trial of criminal cases;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the court shall apply the evidentiary standards as prescribed by law or rule for the trial of criminal cases;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the court shall ensure that the defendant has received a copy of the charges against the defendant and that the defendant understands those charges;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the defendant is entitled to cross–examine all witnesses who appear against the defendant, to produce evidence or witnesses on behalf of the defendant, and to testify on the defendant’s own behalf, if the defendant chooses to do so;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>the defendant is entitled to be represented by counsel of the defendant’s choice and at the expense of the defendant; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>the defendant may enter a plea of guilty or not guilty, and the verdict of the court in the case shall be:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>guilty of a Code violation;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>not guilty of a Code violation; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>probation before judgment, imposed by the court in the same manner and to the same extent as is allowed by law in the trial of a criminal case.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If the District Court finds that a person has committed a Code violation, the court shall require the person:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>for a first violation, to pay a fine not exceeding $100;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>for a second violation, to pay a fine not exceeding $500; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>for a third or subsequent violation, to pay a fine not exceeding $1,000 and to participate in gambling addiction treatment.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Chief Judge of the District Court may establish a schedule for the prepayment of fines for a violation under § 10–136 of this part.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>When a defendant has been found guilty of a Code violation and a fine has been imposed by the court:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the court may direct that the payment of the fine be suspended or deferred under conditions that the court may establish; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>if the defendant willfully fails to pay the fine imposed by the court, that willful failure may be treated as a criminal contempt of court, for which the defendant may be punished by the court as provided by law.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The defendant is liable for the costs of the proceedings in the District Court and for payment to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The court costs in a Code violation case under § 10–136 of this part in which costs are imposed are $5.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A defendant who has been found guilty of a Code violation under § 10–136 of this part has the right to appeal or to file a motion for a new trial or a motion for a revision of a judgment provided by law in the trial of a criminal case.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A motion shall be made in the same manner as provided in the trial of criminal cases, and the court, in ruling on the motion, has the same authority provided in the trial of criminal cases.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="l">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The State’s Attorney for any county may prosecute a Code violation under § 10–136 of this part in the same manner as prosecution of a violation of the criminal laws of the State.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In a Code violation case under § 10–136 of this part, the State’s Attorney may:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>enter a nolle prosequi or place the case on the stet docket; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>exercise authority in the same manner as prescribed by law for violation of the criminal laws of the State.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
