La traffic school8/31/2023 If you are cited for a moving violation, including out-of-state traffic tickets, it will result in one or more points on your license. How many points do I have on my license, and what does it mean? You can find details on fees and penalties at. A judge may offer a lower fine if you plead guilty or “no contest” rather than go to trial. Failure to appear in court can add a fee of $300 or more. Depending on the offense, fees and penalties can turn a $50 fine into hundreds of dollars. How much will I have to pay in fees and penalties? Schedule your court date in the courthouse or online at. In court, you must agree to pay the fine or do community service, or argue that special circumstances apply (see “Special Circumstances”). To clear a bench warrant, you must schedule your own court date and appear in court. How do I clear a bench warrant for failure to appear in court? ![]() If you do not pay the fine or appear on your court date, the judge can order an additional fine for a “failure to appear” and even issue a bench warrant for your arrest, to authorize law enforcement to bring you into court. Your traffic ticket states that you must pay a fine by a certain deadline, and if you don’t, you must appear in court on a certain date. What if I missed my court date-that is, I didn’t pay my original ticket on time? For more information, contact a legal advocate. In addition, if you were homeless at the time of your offense and/or you are a veteran, you may want to request dismissal of your case “in the interest of justice.” If possible, bring evidence of your special circumstances to court with you to show the judge, such as a letter from a parole office or case manager. For instance, if you failed to appear in court because you were in jail, in the hospital, or had another serious emergency, ask the judge to dismiss the charge for failure to appear. Special Circumstances: In some circumstances, you may want to request that your fines should be dismissed entirely. If you finish the community service, take your proof of completed community service to the court’s traffic department. However, it is important to complete the community service if you don’t, you may have to appear in traffic court again. It can help to bring in documentary evidence that you are low-income, such as a letter from a government benefits agency. Finally, depending on the courthouse, the judge may allow you to pay the fine on a payment plan.Ĭommunity Service: In court, you can explain to the judge why you cannot pay and request community service instead. In court, you can ask the judge if you are eligible for traffic school, or you can request it online at. You may also be able to avoid higher insurance rates by requesting traffic school. Your driver’s license can also be suspended.Įxtensions, Traffic School, and Payment Plans: You can request an extension if you cannot pay the fine in 90 days. If you do not pay your fine or go to court, you will face even higher fines and a possible bench warrant for your arrest. If you cannot afford to pay the fine, you should still go to the court on or before date listed on your ticket-the court’s address will be indicated on your ticket. What should I do if I can’t pay the fine? Failing to appear at a court date is also a misdemeanor and can result in a bench warrant, allowing law enforcement to arrest you and bring you before the court.Ĭheck the Status: You can see what your offenses are and check the status of your traffic case by calling the courthouse named on your ticket, or by going to. Examples of misdemeanors include driving without a license or on a suspended license, reckless driving, and sometimes, driving under the influence. Misdemeanors are more serious because they are punishable by up to one year of jail time and/or a fine. ![]() Misdemeanors: If your traffic ticket has a circled letter “M” next to the written violation, your ticket is for a misdemeanor. Some offenses, such as failure to appear in court, can be handled as infractions or misdemeanors, depending on what the court decides. Examples of infractions include excessive speed, expired registration, running a red light, and transit fare evasion. They are punishable by fines only, not jail time. Infractions: Infractions are low-level violations of law, often related to traffic or walking violations.
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