What Are a Few Common Questions Regarding Traffic Court?

Americans receive citations for traffic-related offenses like speeding or disregarding stop signs every day. You might once in a while have to appear in traffic court to pay your ticket. However, if you have never attended a traffic court, it is likely that you are unfamiliar with how it operates.

You might be unclear about what to do next if you’ve been pulled over and given a ticket. Depending on the situation, a driver may want to contest the penalty, pay it, or request traffic school as an alternative. Although every person’s situation is different, the following are general responses to some of the queries that frequently arise in this area. If you have specific queries, you should speak with a traffic lawyer in Kansas City, MO.

What Happens When I Receive a Traffic Ticket?

To be in compliance with the law, you must pay a fine after receiving a traffic ticket. It’s likely that the fine will come with points added to your driving record. In that instance, you might have the chance to complete traffic school in order to have points taken off your record.

Nevertheless, you might need to appear in traffic court on occasion to have your offense heard.

In the following cases, you might end up in traffic court:

• You did not pay the ticket’s accompanying fine;
• If you contest your ticket, you may request a hearing before a traffic court judge to present your case;
• You received a ticket for a more serious traffic infraction, such as reckless driving.

How Can You Tell a Traffic Citation From Additional Offenses?

Contrary to ordinary offenses, traffic citations typically have less severe consequences. Rarely is a motorist sentenced to jail. The procedures used in traffic court are less formal, and a driver typically does not have a right to a jury trial. Sometimes the standard of proof is laxer than in criminal prosecution.

What Distinguishes Infractions from Misdemeanors and Felonies?

The majority of routine speeding tickets are infractions, so you can pay fines and other fees but won’t go to jail. Let’s say your traffic violation is listed as a misdemeanor. If that happens, you can face harsher punishments and even spend up to a year in jail. Criminally charged moving violation tickets in Kansas are exceedingly uncommon.

How Does a Traffic Court Hearing Work?

Although local traffic courts vary, the following rules are often followed in each case.

Criminal Case Evidence

Imagine you are in traffic court for a hearing. If so, a traffic court judge will decide whether you are guilty of the traffic offense by having you appear before them. The prosecutor chosen to handle your case must establish your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Defense Information

You will have the right to present witnesses and proof as the defendant. Let’s say you want to use evidence that is being held by the police or the prosecutor (such as the police statement or any video footage taken by the officer). In that case, you must submit a written request to the traffic court before the hearing.

Any witnesses the prosecution offers to testify can also be subjected to cross-examination by you. The police officer who stopped you will almost always be called as a witness by the prosecutor. It happens frequently that the case will be dismissed if the officer does not show up for your hearing.

Judge’s Decision

The traffic court judge will decide whether you are guilty of the traffic infraction after the case has been heard. If you are found guilty, you will probably be ordered to pay the ticket’s fine as well as any additional penalties the traffic court imposes.

Is There a Drawback to Admitting Your Mistake and Paying a Fine?

In a criminal matter, paying a fine is the same as entering a guilty plea. Let’s say you choose to pay the fine rather than appeal it. The conviction would then stay on your driving record for the time period specified by state law.

Points could be added to your license, increasing your risk of higher insurance costs and, in the event that you accumulate too many points, a license suspension. However, if you don’t have any valid defenses and have a spotless record, paying the ticket can be the right course of action.

Is it Legal to Pay a Kansas City Police Officer to Avoid a Traffic Stop?

Paying an officer is generally regarded as bribery, which carries far worse penalties than a simple traffic ticket. Throughout a police stop, you shouldn’t freak out or overreact. You have legal options to contest your ticket if you wish to.

What if I Am Unable to Pay My Traffic Fine?

If you are unable to pay the fine, you should not throw the ticket away. Failure to pay a traffic ticket can result in additional late fees and perhaps raise your insurance rates. A judge may even issue a warrant for an individual’s arrest in certain situations.

If you meet the requirements for traffic school, you may take this option in place of paying the fine. Alternatively, you can request a fine reduction, compensation planning, or community service from the judge.

Are There Some Assertions I Should Refrain from Making in Jackson County Traffic Court?

People attempt to avoid paying for tickets using a variety of excuses. Avoid utilizing the following since they won’t be taken into consideration as legal defenses to your ticket:

• Despite breaking the law, you did not harm anyone;
• You did not understand the traffic legislation you broke, and instead of offering an explanation, you narrated a sympathetic tale.

Instead, asserting that you did not violate any traffic laws is a common defense that will be effective in traffic court. Remember that the prosecution has a low standard of proof, so this will still be challenging to prove, even with the help of a Kansas City, Missouri speeding ticket lawyer.

Should I Work with a Traffic Ticket Lawyer in Kansas City?

You won’t need to hire a traffic lawyer in Kansas City, MO if your traffic ticket merely requires a charge to be paid. Numerous courts will also offer payment plans so you can settle the remaining money on your traffic ticket.



But let’s say you have to show up for a hearing in traffic court. In that scenario, you might want to think about hiring a traffic ticket lawyer in Kansas City. Our Kansas City area law firm can assist you in building your criminal defense case and devising a plan to make an effort to have your ticket amended.