Judges have jurisdiction over traffic violations within their respective counties. When traffic violations have occurred within the magistrate's county, the magistrate has all the power, authority and jurisdiction prescribed by the Code of Laws. Create an account: Increase your productivity, personalize your experience and participate in the information you care about. All traffic tickets include a hearing date, but you may be able to resolve your case without appearing in court.
Options include (i) “waiver” (discussed in the next question), which can be done online, in person, or by mail, or (ii) requesting a reduction or dismissal online from the District Attorney's office. To determine the online options available to you, go to Dating Services. A civil traffic citation is a non-criminal traffic violation that is not punishable by imprisonment and for which there is no right to a jury trial or right to a court-appointed lawyer. Most civil traffic violations do not require a court appearance, but they can be resolved by paying a civil penalty, requesting a violation hearing, or choosing to attend a driver improvement course.
Clerk of Court collects all traffic tickets and distributes profits according to law. The total amount of a traffic ticket consists of the amounts that must be paid by Florida law, as well as by county and city ordinances. If you plan to fight a traffic ticket in court, you should prepare to have everything you need before you arrive. No matter how minor or serious the offense for which you were cited, you should never ignore it or simply pay the fine.
The way you handle the ticket determines the consequences you will have to face. To minimize the chances that you will receive more fines, points on your driving record, a court order, and even jail time, you should familiarize yourself with the items you should bring to traffic court. Municipalities, or cities, also have their own courts, called municipal courts. These courts deal with traffic violations, certain misdemeanors, and violations of city ordinances.
If a police officer in that city or a police officer in the state of Georgia issues you a ticket within the city limits, your ticket will be processed in that city's municipal court. You can see a full list of exonerable offenses here, and a list of offenses that require a court appearance here. It contains additional information on criminal and infringement proceedings, which applies to traffic violations. For example, if a traffic officer issues you a speeding ticket for driving at 50 miles per hour in a 50 mph zone, take a photo of the speed signs in the area of your traffic stop.
If you get rid of your case through an exemption, you must pay the amount set for the violation in the traffic violation exemption list. If the crime is one that you can get rid of online or waive payment by mail, you do not need to appear in person in the court in the county in which you were charged if you get rid of the crime online or if you quit by mail. The North Carolina DMV (or the DMV in your home state if you are licensed elsewhere) can evaluate points or take other action against your driver's license for traffic violations if found guilty or liable, including by waiving the violation. For certain “correctable” traffic violations (for example, an overdue inspection), the district attorney's office may agree to process an online dismissal of the charge upon receiving proof that you have corrected the problem.
Because traffic tickets are considered criminal offenses under Georgia law, you have the right to a jury trial. Law enforcement officials generally note on the fine if the violation is waivable and, if so, the fine and court costs you must pay in order to exempt. A “PJC”, or “prayer for judgment” (continued), is an option to get rid of the violation that is available in some traffic cases. However, some traffic violations require you to show proof of insurance, driver's license, or other required items before the traffic citation can be considered closed.
In some traffic cases, an attorney may appear on your behalf in traffic court and you will not be required to attend. If you decide to plead not guilty and challenge the traffic citation in court, you must notify the Clerk in writing within 30 days of the date the citation was issued to request a traffic violation hearing using the Traffic Citation Options Form. . .
