-
Lost Traffic Ticket in New Mexico
Determine Where You Were Cited in New Mexico
You'll need to act fast if you've lost your traffic ticket. Depending on where you were cited, you may have anywhere from 15 to 30 days to respond. If you miss the ticket's appearance date, the MVD may suspend your driver's license and the court may issue a bench warrant for your arrest.
First, pinpoint where you were ticketed. If you can't remember the exact location, narrow it down to county. If you were ticketed by either the State Police or the Sheriff's Department, you'll need to call county's or district's Magistrate Court. If you were ticketed by a municipal officer you will need to either call the district's Municipal Court, or, if in Albuquerque, the Metropolitan Court.
Call the Court
Call the presiding court and explain your situation. The court clerk will retrieve your ticket information and instruct you on how to proceed. If the court has no record of your citation, call the surrounding courts near where you were cited. For instance, if you think you were cited somewhere near Santa Fe and tried the Magistrate Court, which oversees Santa Fe, Rio Arriba and Los Alamos counties, without success, next call Santa Fe's Municipal Court.
Determine How You Will Plead
Next, decide on one of three pleas:
- Guilty
- Nolo Contendere (No contest)
- Not Guilty
The first two options require paying your ticket fine. Pleading not guilty mandates appearing in court. Regardless of plea, decide fast. The court will not accept, "I lost my ticket" as a legitimate excuse if you miss the ticket's listed appearance date.
Pay Ticket
(Plead Guilty or No Contest)- Pay the fine
- Option to plea bargain penalties
- Incur points on your driving record (could lead to license suspension/revocation)
- Possibly incur increase on auto insurance rates
- Possible option to attend driver improvement school and reduce points
Learn more about
Paying Your Traffic Ticket »Fight Ticket
(Plead Not Guilty)- Contest traffic ticket via trial
- Choose to represent yourself or hire an attorney
- Possibly lose option to plea bargain for lesser penalties
- No penalties if found guilty, but must pay court/attorney fees
Learn more about
Fighting Your Traffic Ticket »Other Topics in This Section
Recommended Articles
Next Prev-
Contesting an Out-of-State Traffic Ticket -
Traffic Ticket Myths: What’s Fact and What’s Fiction? -
Using Witnesses When Fighting a Traffic Ticket -
The Pros and Cons of Fighting a Traffic Ticket -
Traffic Ticket and DUI Penalties for Commercial Drivers -
Attending Traffic School for an Auto Insurance Discount -
Types of Traffic Schools -
Attending Traffic School for a Traffic Ticket -
Handling a Lost Parking Ticket -
Handling a Lost Out-of-State Traffic Ticket -
Federal Agency Stirring Around the Idea of Lowering BAC Limit to .05 Percent -
How to Do An Online Warrant Search
- Can I get points dismissed from my driving record?
- How do I know what fine to pay?
- Why should I check my driving record?
FAQs
- Contesting an Out-of-State Traffic Ticket
- Traffic Ticket Myths: What’s Fact and What’s Fiction?
- Using Witnesses When Fighting a Traffic Ticket
- The Pros and Cons of Fighting a Traffic Ticket
- Traffic Ticket and DUI Penalties for Commercial Drivers
- Attending Traffic School for an Auto Insurance Discount
Articles
Can't find something? Let us help you find it!
We put a lot of effort into making our content helpful & accurate. Please let us know if you see something that isn't clear or correct; we are here to ease any frustrations you may have while navigating DMV topics. We are not a government agency, please reach out to your local DMV, insurance agent, or respective professional for further assistance on specific situations.
