Traffic Court
PAYING FINES BEFORE COURT:
If you wish to resolve your charges without coming to court, for most offenses you can pay the fine at the Probate Court or online and you will not have to appear for court on the date on your citation. You may pay the fine in person at the court with cash, a money order, Visa, or MasterCard. Please note there will be a convenience fee applied to all card transactions.
You can also pay your fine online by visiting https://www.ezcourtpay.com/Tix/Default.aspx.
While most traffic citations can be paid without having to come to court, there are some violations which require you to appear on the court date listed on your citations. Those offenses are as follows:
- Aggressive Driving
- Driving on a Suspended License
- DUI
- Driving without a License
- Fleeing/Attempting to Elude
- Leaving the Scene of an Accident
- No Insurance
- Possession of Marijuana
- Racing
- Reckless Driving
- Speeding more than 24 mph (driver under 21)
- Suspended/Cancelled/Revoked Registration
The court date on your citation is your arraignment. You will have several options that day:
“Not Guilty – Bench Trial”: You did not commit the offense you are charged with and want the Probate Judge to be the finder of fact. Your trial will be scheduled for another day.
“Not Guilty – Jury Trial”: You did not commit the offense you are charged with and want a trial by jury. Your case will be transferred to Superior Court for further disposition, and you remain on the same bond.
“Guilty”: You understand and admit that you were wrong. Your case can be resolved usually the same day as arraignment. You must fill out the waiver of jury trial and plea of guilty form. You may still make an explanation to the Court in connection with your guilty plea, as to the circumstances surrounding the violation(s). That explanation will not impact the determination of guilt or innocence in your case. Explanations in connection with guilty pleas go toward the issue of aggravation (increase) or mitigation (decrease) of punishment only.
“Nolo Contendere”: You are not admitting guilt, but also are not contesting the charges. This plea may aid in your avoiding the points assessed by the Department of Drivers Service (DDS) against your driver’s license. If you have a question about whether a nolo plea will keep you from getting points or keep your license from being suspended, you should speak to an attorney in order to get proper legal advice. The Court does NOT accept pleas of nolo contendere in DUI cases.
If you are indigent and qualify for the services of an appointed attorney, the Court will assign an attorney to speak with you about your case and represent you before the Court. There is an application that you must fill out and there is a Fifty Dollar ($50.00) fee that you will be required to pay in connection with the application.
ATS School Bus Arm Safety Program
This program is operated separately from the Traffic Court. The Probate Court CANNOT accept payment of the fines associated with these violations, cannot change your court date and cannot create a payment plan. For any questions about your notice of violation please contact 1-866-790-4111 or visit www.ViolationInfo.com.