If you’re like most people, odds are you’ve received at least one driving citation in your life. It happens to all of us at one point or another, but even though we all go through it, many people are unfamiliar with traffic court and their options. Below, we answer some frequently asked questions about traffic court and traffic tickets here in Minnesota.
What happens if I don’t pay my ticket?
Don’t just ignore your ticket and hope it goes away, because it won’t, and it will leave you worse off than before. Not only will you be hit with a late fee, but you can even have your driver’s license suspended.
Why can’t I find my traffic ticket online?
There are a couple reasons why you may not be able to find your ticket online. If you recently got the ticket, it may take a couple days to show up in the online system. There’s also the chance that you’re on the wrong website (click here to see which website to pay your ticket on), or you may have simply entered the wrong citation number into the system.
How long do I have to pay my traffic ticket?
You usually have about a month to pay your ticket before late fees are assessed, but this information should be noted somewhere on your citation.
Do I have to go to traffic court?
If the ticket says your appearance is mandatory, then yes, you have to go or you have to hire a lawyer to appear on your behalf. If your appearance is not mandatory, you don’t need to go, but if your citation is not paid by that date and you skip court, there’s a chance your license will be suspended and a warrant will be issued for you.
What happens if I can’t make it to court on the scheduled day?
If you know you have a scheduling conflict with the listed court date, you’ll either need to hire a lawyer to appear in court for you, or contact the courthouse as soon as possible to request a new date (known as a continuance).
I lost my traffic ticket, now what?
If you lost or misplaced your traffic ticket, you can still find your ticket in the online system by looking on the DMV’s ticket search page.
Should I just pay my traffic ticket?
If it’s obvious that you were in violation of a traffic offense and you’d just like to put the case behind you, simply paying the fine may be your best option. However, if you feel like your rights were infringed, the officer identified the wrong driver or you simply want to see if you can get the fine reduced or the ticket tossed, consider hiring a lawyer to help defend your case. We’ve helped hundreds of clients win their cases in traffic court, and we can do the same for you. Reach out to Appelman Law Firm today for more information on how we can help you.