Know Your Options

You can plead guilty and pay your ticket (perhaps even online), or plead not guilty and fight the ticket in court.

What it Means to Fight Your KS Traffic Ticket

To fight your KS traffic ticket, be prepared to:

• Schedule a hearing with the court..
• Make a case for your innocence before a judge. (Some drivers hire traffic ticket attorneys for help.)
• Deal with all related fines and penalties if the judge finds you guilty*.

* You can file an appeal. See below.

Pleading Guilty or No Contest

Depending on your violation and driving history, you might find it more convenient to plead guilty or no contest and pay your fine. Some courts even allow online traffic ticket payments.

Refer to Paying Your Traffic Ticket for details about this option.

Avoid Additional Charges

Your citation includes a date by which you must:

• Pay the fine (if you choose this option).
• Show up in court and enter a not guilty plea.
• Contact the court to schedule a hearing.

Regardless of how you choose to handle the citation, or notify the court, you must do one of those three things by the date on your ticket; otherwise, you face licenses suspension and possibly an arrest warrant.

Notify the Court

Determine Where to Plead

Your citation includes information about the court handling your ticket, and this is where you’ll plead not guilty and have your hearing.

For reference, Municipal Courts handle city-level citations and District Courts handle county-level citations.

Visit Lost KS Traffic Ticket if you’ve misplaced your citation.

Inform the Court

You can inform the court of your not guilty plea in one of two ways:

• Show up on the date printed on your ticket. Tell the judge you want to plead not guilty. The court will schedule a hearing.
• Call the court before the date on your ticket, notify the clerk of your not guilty plea, and receive a hearing date.

NOTE: Some courts might vary in how they accept not guilty pleas and schedule hearings. Drivers with citations that include no or confusing information about pleading should contact their courts.

Rescheduling or Postponing Your Hearing

You can reschedule or postpone your hearing as long as you call the court within a reasonable time period (i.e. not the day of your hearing). This is true for court dates printed on your ticket, too.

Understand that if you fail to appear in court, you’ll receive the same 30-day notice the courts send drivers who fail to pay (see above, “Avoid Additional Charges”).

Hire a Traffic Ticket Attorney

An experienced traffic ticket lawyer can help you both inside and outside the courtroom.

Consult an attorney if you:

• Want help preparing and presenting your case.
• Have evidence or witnesses you want to present in court.
• Are opten to negotiating a plea agreement.
• Suddenly need to reschedule your hearing.
• Want to appeal a guilty verdict.

Prepare Your Case

Keep the following points in mind as you prepare for your hearing:

• The judge will listen to your side. This is your “testimony,” and you can practice it beforehand.
• Give yourself plenty of time to gather evidence and decide on witnesses. Some courts require subpoenas.
• Depending on your charge, your judge might offer a plea agreement. Consider this, and whether you’d be open to agreeing.

Again, a skilled traffic ticket attorney can help with each of these points.

Plead Your Case Before a Judge or Jury

Most traffic ticket hearings are cut-and-dried.

Expect:

• Opening statements from both sides.
• Time for testimonies (including witnesses) and evidence from both sides.
• Time for examination and cross-examination.
• Closing statements from both sides.
• The judge’s verdict.

If the judge finds you guilty, you can take care of all the violation’s related ticket fines and penalties, or you can file an appeal.

Filing an Appeal

Judge find you guilty? You can appeal the verdict. The court will provide specific instructions after your hearing, or your attorney will handle the process.

Check Your Driving Record

Kansas doesn’t assign points to traffic violations, but drivers still face license suspension and revocation for certain offenses.

Whether the judge finds you guilty or not guilty, check your driving record to make sure no violations appear that shouldn’t appear.

Shop for Better Auto Insurance Rates

Some auto insurance companies increase rates for policyholders convicted of traffic violations. This will depend on your provider, your driving history, and any specific policy or reward incentives you have, so check with your insurance agent.

Drivers who find out they’re facing increased rates the next time they renew can start shopping for lower rates now to maintain coverage without paying more.