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Can the Township handle its own code enforcement without having its Township attorney involved in each case?

Yes. Townships can explore implementing civil infraction notices and citations as penalties. Townships using civil infraction notices and citations have two potential avenues to provide enforcement without involving the Township attorney with each issue. For the first option, the Township can establish a violations bureau that allows the Township to issue municipal civil notice violations for ordinance violations. A Township resident or property owner can then admit responsibility and resolve the violation notice at the Township Hall with designated Township staff. A second option would be to issue a municipal civil infraction citation (different than a notice). The citation would be filed with the local district court as opposed to processed at the Township Hall. The Township can process the citation before the district court in the informal hearing process and receive a favorable result in many instances. Only if a formal hearing is requested by either party would the Township need to rely on its Township attorney. This can be a very efficient and economical means to enforce local ordinances.

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