You must appear if:
You are
a juvenile (a parent or legal guardian must accompany you)
Your
citation indicates that you have a MANDATORY COURT APPEARANCE (charges include
but are not limited to: Reckless or Aggressive Driving, Flee Police, Leave the
Scene of Accident, Child Safety Seat, and certain criminal misdemeanors.)
You
wish to plead not guilty.
You
wish to speak with the Judge about your citation.
You
were issued a citation for No Insurance, No Vehicle Registration, No Valid
License and you obtained such on or after your citation date.
You are not required to
appear on your posted court date if:
You
want to plead No Contest or Guilty and pay the citation. The bail amount
indicated on the citation must be paid in full prior to the court date on the
citation and can be mailed or paid online. The total amount due is located at the
lower right corner of the citation. The applicable demerit points will be
reported to DMV following the court date on your citation.
You
want to plead No Contest or Guilty and complete Traffic School to have your
citation amended to a non-moving violation. Requests for Traffic Safety School
may be made at the clerk's window or via the secure online payment process prior to your
scheduled court date.
You must request traffic safety school and
enter your plea of Guilty or No Contest before or on the court date listed on
your citation and BEFORE you attend the class. Traffic safety school
does not reduce the fine amount but paying the fine and completing traffic
safety school by the completion due date will amend the violation to a parking
violation (no points are reported to DMV on parking violations).
You may request traffic safety school only once a year and there
is a traffic safety school fee, which is in addition to your citation fine
amount. You will be given a completion due date and a Traffic Safety School
information sheet when you enter a plea. Failure to complete traffic safety
school by the completion due date will result in the original violation
conviction being reported to DMV. You may
not request Traffic School if your driver’s license is a Commercial
Driver’s License. The practice of reducing charges, altering speeds, or allowing CDL
drivers to attend traffic safety school is specifically prohibited in 49 CFR
Part 384.226.
(FAQ3710)
