Drivers Education
Paying Your Traffic Ticket
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Paying Your Traffic Ticket
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Busted! Pulled over for going 40 in a 30 mph zone. Now that your heart's stopped hammering and you're looking at the ticket (and at the dollar signs floating away once your insurance company finds out), what do you do?
Unfortunately, Michigan doesn't offer traffic school to its drivers as a way to pay the price, so that violation isn't going away any time soon. In fact, it'll be on your driving record for at least two years, and those two points will count against your total for at least that long.
If your ticket is a civil infraction (speeding, for example), you may have to pay a fine and have points added to your driving record. If it's a misdemeanor, you may be facing jail time. Both can be disputed in court.
In Michigan, traffic violations are handled in District Court, of which there are 100. Most tickets will be resolved in a District Court's Traffic Division; misdemeanor and felony cases (like drunk driving) will be handled in the Criminal Division. For a Criminal Division case, you'll need an attorney.
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But if you have a run-of-the-mill traffic ticket, you'll probably just want to pay the fine and be done with it. The front of your ticket will tell you which District Court you need to pay.
You can pay by mail with a check, cashier's check, or money order. Some district courts do have options for paying with a credit card online, but you'll have to read the information on the ticket for guidance.
Pleading Not Guilty
Let's face it―not every radar gun was calibrated correctly, police officers do have bad days, and you can be lucky. Most importantly, in America you are innocent until proven guilty.
Fighting a traffic stop is as simple as pleading not guilty and sending in your explanation to the court. Make sure you do it well in advance of your appearance date on the ticket. You can then either go to court and schedule a hearing, or wait until the court sets a date for you to appear in front of a judge and face your accuser (the officer who cited you).
Misdemeanor and Felony Traffic Infractions
If you get cited for a misdemeanor traffic violation, like driving while intoxicated or leaving the scene of accident, then you've entered the big leagues. This is the Land of Suits, and you're going to need one to defend you.
You'll need to appear in court to be arraigned and enter your plea. You have the right to be represented by an attorney at this and all other hearings. If you can't afford one, the court will appoint one for you.
