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Traffic
Citation Fact Sheet
There are two types of traffic violations in Maryland, payable and “must
appear.”“Must appear” violations, such as driving
while under the influence of alcohol or drugs or driving on a suspended
license are not covered in this fact sheet. For more information
about “must appear” traffic offenses, contact the District
Court location nearest you.
Payable traffic violations for example, a speeding ticket or failing
to stop for a school bus are those you may choose to plead “guilty” to
and pay a fine without appearing in court. You have a payable violation
when the officer checks the second box under “Notice to Appear” on
your citation. Payable traffic violations are not punishable by jail
time.
When you are charged with a payable traffic offense, the officer
will give you two copies of your citation. The white copy (Return
to Court Copy) is to be mailed to the court when you decide how you
will respond to the citation. The blue copy (Defendant’s Copy)
is for your own files. Read the front and back of your citation carefully
and make sure the identifying information on the citation is correct.
You have three options when confronted with a payable traffic citation
paying the fine, appearing for trial, or pleading “guilty with
an explanation” and appearing for a hearing. If you choose
not to pay the fine, you will be required to appear in person to
dispose of your case.
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Pleading “Guilty” & Paying
the fine
If you choose to plead “guilty,” pay the fine noted on
the front of your citation. A guilty plea results in the charge becoming
a part of your driving record. The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration
(MVA) may assess points
on your license. Having points on your license may increase your
insurance premiums.
The number of points assessed is determined by the MVA, not by the
District Court. For information on the MVA,
visit their website at www.mva.state.md.us.
If you do not pay the fine, the court will automatically schedule
a trial date. It may take several weeks for a trial date to be scheduled.
There are several ways to pay the fine. Having your citation number
available will help expedite the process.
• Visit the District Court location nearest you and pay the fine at the
cashier’s office. If you choose to pay with a credit card, a service charge
will be added to your fine.
• Mail your check or money order to the District Court Traffic Processing
Center in the envelope attached to the citation. To ensure proper credit, please
include the citation number on your payment and mail it to:
District Court Traffic Processing Center
PO Box 6676
Annapolis, MD 21401
• Call the District Court’s Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system
at 1-800-492-2656. The system will provide directions to court locations and
other information. The IVR system also accepts credit card payments for traffic
citations, through Visa, Master Card, Discover, and American Express. Your credit
card company will assess a service charge for each citation when you pay by phone.
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Appearing for Trial
If you choose to appear for trial, simply wait for your trial notice.
Anyone who does not pay a traffic citation within 15 days of its
receipt is automatically scheduled for trial. It may take several
weeks for a trial date to be scheduled. If you do not receive a trial
date within six weeks, contact the District Court in the county in
which you received the ticket.
If your addresses
changes after you receive your ticket
but before you receive notice of your
court date, notify the Court immediately
by sending a letter to the Court in the
jurisdiction where you received the ticket.
The post office will not forward Court
mail, and updating your address with
MVA does not update your address with
the Court. (The District Court is unable
to conduct official court business through
e-mail.)
If you have witnesses that can support your case, you are responsible
for alerting them to the date, time, and location of your trial.
You have the right to retain legal counsel for the proceeding. If
after receiving a trial notice you decide you would rather pay the
citation than appear for trial, you may pay the fine at any time
up to your court date to avoid trial.
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If you wish to request a change
in the trial date, you must write the court before
your trial date with an explanation of the circumstances
that require the change. Your request is not automatically
granted; it is up to a judge to determine whether
to change your trial date.
If you do not pay your citation, it is extremely important that you
appear in court on your trial.
If you fail to
appear for trial, the MVA will
be notified and will take action to suspend
your license. Driving on a suspended
license is a criminal offense for which
you can receive jail time.
At your trial, the officer who issued your ticket will testify, and
you will have an opportunity to present your side of the case. After
hearing both sides, the judge will render a decision. You have the
right to an appeal within 30 days of your trial date, if you are
found guilty. There are non-refundable court costs for filing an
appeal.
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Requesting a Hearing
to Plead “Guilty with an Explanation”
If you choose to plead guilty and would like to request that your
fine be reduced or waived or that you be given probation rather than
a conviction, sign and date back of the Return to Court copy of the
citation. Check the “Waiver Enclosed” box on the return
envelope and mail it to the District Court Traffic Processing Center
at:
PO Box 6676
Annapolis, MD 21401
The court will automatically schedule a hearing date before a judge.
This hearing is not a trial. The officer who ticketed you and any
witnesses will not be present.
The hearing presents
you with an opportunity to explain to
the judge why you committed the offense
and request that your fine be reduced
or waived or ask that you be given probation
rather than a conviction because of extenuating
circumstances. Lowering your fine is
at the discretion of the judge. There
is a possibility that your fine could
be increased, up to a maximum of $500.
If the judge renders a guilty verdict,
you have the right to an appeal. There
are non-refundable court costs for filing
an appeal. (A "probation before
judgment" cannot be appealed.)
For more information, please contact a clerk at the District Court
of Maryland location nearest you or visit the District Court’s
web pages, accessible through the Judiciary website at www.courts.state.md.us.
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Certified
Records
The Motor Vehicle Authority handles driving records. However, to
obtain certified records of traffic citations, copies of tickets,
charging documents, etc. contact:
District Court Traffic Processing Center at:
Telephone:
1 800-492-2656 or 410 260-1093
Red
Light Traffic Program
How
and where do I file a complaint against
red light traffic cameras?
The
red light cameras are installed at the
expense and direction of the locality
or municipality. Complaints about the
location or operation of these cameras
should be sent to the address on the
citation. In most cases this is the address
of the police agency.
Will I be assessed points if found guilty of a red light camera citation?
As
stated on the red light citations: "Payment
of the penalty amount for the violation
will not result in points and cannot
be used to increase your insurance rates."
How do these red light cameras work?
Various
vendors manufacture the cameras used
in red light traffic programs. For information
on how these cameras operate, contact
the local police department in the municipality where
the camera is located.
Pleas
What
are the different pleas?
In
District Court cases you may plead "guilty" or "not
guilty." There is no plea of "innocent." A
guilty plea results in the charge becoming
a part of your record. In the case of
a traffic ticket, The Maryland Motor
Vehicle Administration (MVA)
may assess points on your license.
In
traffic cases, you may plead "guilty
with an explanation" and appear
for a hearing. The hearing presents you
with an opportunity to explain to the
judge why you committed the offense and
request that your fine be reduced or
waived or ask that you be given probation
rather than a conviction because of extenuating
circumstances. Lowering your fine is
at the discretion of the judge. There
is a possibility that your fine could
be increased, up to a maximum of $500.
If the judge renders a guilty verdict,
you have the right to an appeal. There
are non-refundable court costs for filing
an appeal.
If
you wish to plead "not guilty," you
must appear for a hearing.
Verdicts
When
a verdict is rendered— either by a jury or judge—the
actual decision is either “guilty” or “not guilty.” There
is no finding of “innocent.” However, a defendant, if
found "not guilty", can be described as having been acquitted.
If there is a finding of "not guilty", it simply reflects
the fact that the prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable
doubt.
Common
resolutions of cases other than by findings of "not
guilty" and "guilty" include:
Nolle
pros. The state opts to end the prosecution and
dismisses the charge.
Stet.
A suspension of the prosecution. The State may
reopen the case without the need for the defendant
to be recharged. A case may be reopened because
of the defendant’s arrest on additional
charges or his/her failure to live up to some
agreed-to-condition within a reasonable time
after the entry of the stet.
PBJ-Probation
before judgment. This is a common resolution
in many District Court trials. The defendant
is found guilty or pleads guilty. However, the
final entry of judgment is technically suspended.
This gives the defendant an opportunity to request
expungement of his record upon successful completion
of the conditions or probation.
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