When a defendant appeals his or her case, what is the clerk required to do?

• A. Mandatory ministerial duty to forward the appeal to the appellate court
• B. Schedule a hearing
• C. Notify the defendant
• D. Docket the case

Answer: (A)

When a defendant files an appeal, the essential administrative step is for the clerk to forward the appeal to the appellate court. This is a mandatory ministerial duty, meaning it must be done as part of moving the case up to the appellate level and ensuring the appellate court receives the file to begin its review. Without transmitting the appeal and the case record, the appellate court cannot start the de novo review that follows a municipal court decision.

Scheduling a hearing or notifying the defendant may occur as the case progresses, but they are not the single required action that initiates the appeal process. Docketing the case happens as part of internal court management, but the key, required action tied to an appeal is transmitting the matter to the appellate court so the appeal can proceed.