Brookside Municipal Court: Difference between revisions
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'''Brookside Municipal Court''' is a criminal court operated by the Town of [[Brookside]] to adjudicate misdemeanors and traffic violations investigated by the [[Brookside Police Department]] and prosecuted by the [[Brookside Town Attorney]]. The court meets weekly at [[Brookside Town Hall]] at 2711 [[Municipal Drive (Brookside)|Municipal Drive]]. [[Jim Wooten]] is the presiding municipal judge. | '''Brookside Municipal Court''' is a criminal court operated by the Town of [[Brookside]] to adjudicate misdemeanors and traffic violations investigated by the [[Brookside Police Department]] and prosecuted by the [[Brookside Town Attorney]]. The court meets weekly at [[Brookside Town Hall]] at 2711 [[Municipal Drive (Brookside)|Municipal Drive]]. [[Jim Wooten (attorney)|Jim Wooten]] is the presiding municipal judge. | ||
Law enforcement in Brookside expanded enormously at the initiative of police chief [[Mike Jones (Helena)|Mike Jones]] and the revenues from fines, fees and forfeitures administered by the court began to make up fully half of the town's income. Processing those cases led to long lines and parking shortages on court days. | Law enforcement in Brookside expanded enormously at the initiative of police chief [[Mike Jones (Helena)|Mike Jones]] and the revenues from fines, fees and forfeitures administered by the court began to make up fully half of the town's income. Processing those cases led to long lines and parking shortages on court days. | ||
Revision as of 13:18, 16 April 2022
Brookside Municipal Court is a criminal court operated by the Town of Brookside to adjudicate misdemeanors and traffic violations investigated by the Brookside Police Department and prosecuted by the Brookside Town Attorney. The court meets weekly at Brookside Town Hall at 2711 Municipal Drive. Jim Wooten is the presiding municipal judge.
Law enforcement in Brookside expanded enormously at the initiative of police chief Mike Jones and the revenues from fines, fees and forfeitures administered by the court began to make up fully half of the town's income. Processing those cases led to long lines and parking shortages on court days.
The police department's aggressive tactics have led to numerous civil lawsuits and have been criticized by members of the public and press, as well as by Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr. Jones resigned shortly after AL.com columnist John Archibald wrote about the department's practices. The Town of Brookside requested a compliance audit from the Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission on January 26.
On February 1 Brookside mayor Mike Bryan issued a statement announcing an independent investigation into allegations of racial profiling to be headed by Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Simon. The municipal court sessions scheduled for February 3 and 10 were postponed. Jefferson County Sheriff Mark Pettway and Alabama House District 83 Representative Juandalynn Givan have held town hall meetings to hear from area residents whose rights may have been violated by Brookside police and courts.
References
- Archibald, John (January 19, 2022) "Police in this tiny Alabama town suck drivers into legal ‘black hole’." The Birmingham News
- Remkus, Ashley (February 10, 2022) "More drivers complain of Brookside police as sheriff urges them to fight charges". The Birmingham News
- Remkus, Ashley (February 15, 2022) "Brookside prosecutor fails to appear in court; three cases tossed" The Birmingham News