Traffic Citations

Minor traffic citations do not require a court appearance and may simply be paid off before the court date. Paying off a citation prior to court, however, may have some unintended consequences. As the reverse side of your traffic ticket will inform you, paying off a citation before court is the same as appearing in court and pleading responsible (guilty) to the original charge. YOU ARE ENCOURAGED to contact an attorney for advice and representation. This conviction may result in points being assessed against your license and your insurance premiums may also go up. Although coming to traffic court on your scheduled court date may be an inconvenience for you, it is not a frightening ordeal. Traffic court has become more convenient and less time consuming for you (see Disposition Court). Usually, an appearance in court may result in a reduction on the traffic citation, which may save you hundreds of dollars on your insurance premiums and help keep your driving record clean. The Assistant District Attorney in your courtroom will talk with you about a possible reduction on your ticket.