Paying Your Traffic Ticket

Returning to your car to find a ticket under the windshield wiper or in that small crack between the seal and driver-side window is frustrating to most anyone, whether on a budget or not. And issuing tickets has become technologically advanced, with mini handheld electronic machines spitting out citations without the officer even having to step out of the car.

Then there are the fancy tickets; some are even self-adhesive versions complete with a pocket for a check or money order. Of course, there is the humiliation of being pulled over by a symphony of flashing lights and receiving a ticket the classic way.

Even more than the cost of paying a ticket, the points added against your driving record raises all sort of concerns when it comes to insurance rates.

Traffic citations are paid directly to the municipal or county court where the ticket was issued. Considering that there are 215 municipal courts and 64 county courts, it is a good thing that the majority of tickets issued come with a self-addressed envelope. The paper document will be labeled with the violation and also cite the address of the local court (if you need to appear).

If you are required to attend traffic court, it is imperative you check the citation for the court address, or you might end up in a city court when you should be pleading in a county court. The next thing you know, a bench warrant has been ordered for your arrest.

Each of the 215 municipalities having courts uses the The Model Traffic Code for Colorado Municipalities as the foundation for local traffic laws. Yet, each and every little town in every nook of the state modifies this code to suit the town's individual needs. Thus, you have 215 varying versions of traffic laws. Multiply that by all the laws listed in the code book, and you would need some mind-boggling skills to know them all.

But to simplify things, Colorado has two types of traffic violations:

Infraction―A civil violation (i.e., meter expiration, no turn signal) with only a monetary penalty. Usually, unless pleading not guilty to the breach, this is a mail-in fine.

Tickets in Colorado, regardless of county or municipality, are due 20 days after being issued. Late payments are handled differently across the board but can result in a mandatory court appearance, a doubling of the fine, or even a suspended license.

Offense―A criminal violation (i.e., DUI, reckless driving), and obviously the more serious of the two. In nearly every case, you are required to appear in court and issue a plea. Generally, the local district attorney will offer some sort of point reduction plea bargain (this excludes DUI), and may even clear the points with traffic school attendance. Again, this is up to the local court.

Jury Trial

If you plead not guilty to an offense, you can request a jury trial. In most instances the fee is $25. You cannot have a jury trial for an infraction.

Fees

Fees for citations are decided by individual municipalities and counties and, as you might guess, are all over the place. A $75 ticket for passing a red light in Denver could be $50 in Grand Junction. The Model Traffic Code for Colorado Municipalities sets some basic guidelines based on points but allows a relatively wide range of assessment autonomy. For example:

• Most infractions = $20

• 3 point violation = a fine not less than $50

• 4 or 5 point violation = a fine not less than $100

• Driving without insurance (1st offense) = $500

Links to County and Municipal Websites

• Denver
• Colorado Springs
• Colorado Counties
• Colorado Municipalities