Running afoul of city ordinances can get you an invitation to appear before a municipal court judge. Not responding to such an invitation can deepen the trouble, potentially leading to fines or jail time.
The City of Medford looked for ways to get people to show up in court, and recently rolled out Community Outreach Court. The judge adjourns court outside the City Hall complex, bringing the system closer to the people who get in trouble with it. After a few tryouts, court convened in a homeless shelter earlier this year, with another session coming up this Wednesday (February 21st).
Judge Virginia Greer presides over the court, and spends some time explaining how it works.