Which fee must municipal courts assess when a defendant fails to withdraw a jury trial request 12 hours before the trial and is then later convicted?

• A. $3 fee
• B. $5 fee
• C. No fee
• D. $1 fee

Answer: (A)

A jury demand fee is charged when a defendant who requested a jury trial does not withdraw that request within the required time. If the defendant fails to withdraw at least 12 hours before the trial and the case ends with a conviction by jury, the court must assess this fee to help cover the costs of conducting a jury trial. The fixed amount for this fee in municipal courts is three dollars, which is why this choice is the best answer. The options of a higher or lower fee, or no fee at all, don’t apply here because the rule specifies a three-dollar charge whenever the jury demand remains in effect and the defendant is ultimately convicted.