Traffic Tickets

What Should I do if I get a Traffic Ticket?

Don’t panic. Thousands of traffic tickets are issued each year in Washington but thousands of tickets that are contested are also dismissed each year. You should start by reading the entire back side of your ticket. It tells you that you must respond within fifteen (15) days of when the ticket was issued. A traffic infraction is not a crime, but failure to respond to one can result in the suspension of your driver’s license and an additional failure to appear penalty and your case referred to a collection agency. To avoid this, you can respond by either mailing the green ticket to the Court or taking it to the clerk’s office of the Court listed on your ticket personally. You must select one of the boxes on the back of the ticket and verify your address. To fight your ticket mark the CONTESTED box. If you check any other box you are admitting your guilt and a lawyer will not be able to get your ticket completely dismissed. Even if you believe you are guilty check the contested box so that a lawyer can fight for you. For more information call the office directly at 1-888-A-Ticket or 425-610-4837 and we will be happy to help. You can also hire us online now by going to the Fight Your Ticket Online button at the top of the page.

What Happens if I just Ignore my Ticket?

If you don’t mail your ticket to the court or take it in personally within 15 days then the court will find you guilty of the charge. If you asked for a hearing but do not appear, the court will find you guilty of the charge and a penalty will be assessed. When an infraction is not paid in a timely manner or a hearing is missed, the Court notifies the department of licensing and a late penalty is added to the amount shown on the ticket. You may also be referred to a collection agency and it may result in the suspension of your driving privilege. It is a misdemeanor that is punishable by a fine or imprisonment in jail if you drive while suspended. For more information call the office directly at 1-888-A-Ticket or 425-610-4837 and we will be happy to help. You can also hire us online now by going to the Fight Your Ticket Online button at the top of the page.

Do I Have to go to Court if I Hire a Lawyer?

There are only a few courts in Washington that require you to show up to your traffic ticket hearing if you hire a lawyer. Most of the time you do not need to do anything more than hire our office. The only time we would ask you to go to court would be if we were holding a hearing and needed your testimony. If your hearing is in a court where you are required to attend we can usually give you plenty of notice before the hearing. Of course, you are always welcome to come to court and see us in action. For more information call the office directly at 1-888-A-Ticket or 425-610-4837 and we will be happy to help. You can also hire us online now by going to the Fight Your Ticket Online button at the top of the page.

What is an Infraction?

There was a time when many traffic charges were crimes in the state of Washington. This meant that a Judge could put you in jail for something as simple as speeding. The State Legislature has since decriminalized many traffic, parks, wildlife, and fisheries offenses. These offenses are now called infractions and are civil cases. Traffic violations fall into two categories, traffic infractions and criminal traffic offenses. Traffic infractions are non-criminal offenses for which imprisonment may not be imposed as a sanction. (RCW 46.63.060.) Criminal traffic offenses, which carry the possibility of imprisonment, are defined at RCW 46.63.020. They include, among others, driving under the influence (DUI), reckless or negligent driving, and vehicular assault. If an offense is not listed at RCW 46.63.020, it is a traffic infraction. For more information call the office directly at 1-888-A-Ticket or 425-610-4837 and we will be happy to help. You can also hire us online now by going to the Fight Your Ticket Online button at the top of the page.

What is a Contested Hearing?

If you believe you did not commit the violation OR WANT TO FIGHT THE TICKET ON A TECHNICALITY then you should mark the CONTESTED box on your ticket and mail it in to the court marked on the ticket. Unless you request the police officer to be subpoenaed, the procedure at the hearing will be as follows: the Judge considers the sworn statement filed by the officer and then you may testify and present any evidence or witnesses. If the Judge finds you guilty at the hearing then a penalty will be imposed. If you are found not guilty then the infraction will be dismissed. If you subpoenaed witnesses then you may also be required to pay Court costs. A contested hearing is a civil case so the Judge will decide the case on “the preponderance of the evidence”- which means the Judge just has to believe the officer a little bit more than you for them to find you guilty. This is a very low standard compared to “the beyond a reasonable doubt” found in a criminal case. For more information call the office directly at 1-888-A-Ticket or 425-610-4837 and we will be happy to help. You can also hire us online now by going to the Fight Your Ticket Online button at the top of the page.

What is a Mitigation Hearing?

A mitigation hearing is where you admit that you committed the violation, but wish to explain the circumstances of the infraction. To request a mitigation hearing you should check box two (2). You will appear before a magistrate or Judge for a hearing. Your hearing will be scheduled for a specific date.

The Judge, depending on your explanation and your record, may adjust the penalty. If you have not had a deferred finding within the last 7 years, you may qualify for a deferred finding, whereby your infraction would be dismissed after a period of time on the condition you pay court costs and have no violations during the deferral period. If you do not qualify for a deferred finding, the Judge will not dismiss your ticket.

The Court is required to forward all committed traffic tickets to the Department of Licensing; this will appear on your driving record. The State Legislature does not allow the Court to reduce the penalty for “speeding in a school zone” or “speeding in a construction zone. For more information call the office at 1-888-A-Ticket or 1-425-610-4837 and we would be happy to answer your questions. You can also hire us online now by going to the Fight Your Ticket Online button at the top of the page.

 NOTE: Mitigation hearings are not an option for those two charges. You must either pay the penalty or contest the ticket.

What is an Infraction Deferred?

An Infraction Deferred is a way to keep the ticket off of your driving record if you qualify for it. Even if you qualify for it there are many times when it is smart to hire a lawyer to determine if you NEED to use it or if the ticket can be dismissed on a legal technicality. Because you will be required to do certain things like pay a fee and drive without a ticket for a certain amount of time to get your ticket dismissed with an Infraction Deferred it is much better to get your ticket completely dismissed on a legal technicality.

This is a sample of how most courts handle Infraction Deferrals. To know about the court your ticket is out of then call the office for a free consultation or check with that court directly. For more information call the office directly at 1-888-A-Ticket or 425-610-4837 and we will be happy to help. You can also hire us online now by going to the Fight Your Ticket Online button at the top of the page.

King County
Douglas County
Jefferson County
City of Bellingham
Thurston County
Spokane County

You Can Appeal the Court’s Decision If Your Ticket Is Found Committed

If you do not win at a contested hearing then you have the right to appeal the Judge’s decision to the Superior Court of the County. The notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days. The Court Clerk will give you the forms you need and information about this process. There are various appeal costs which are payable at this Court upon filing the notice of appeal, including a $200 Superior Court filing fee and a $40 processing fee. If you appeal then the Superior Court will review the record but there will not be a new trial. For more information call the office directly at 1-888-A-Ticket or 425-610-4837 and we will be happy to help. You can also hire us online now by going to the Fight Your Ticket Online button at the top of the page.

What Types of Infractions Does Your Office Handle?

We handle all types of traffic infractions, including:

• speeding,
• HOV lane violations,
• no insurance,
• intermediate license violations,
• seat-belt violations,
• failure to stop,
• failure to yield,
• speed too fast for conditions,
• Radar/Lidar/Pace,
• negligent driving,
• speeding in a school zone,
• speeding in a construction zone,
• CDL violations,
• red lights violations,
• expired tabs,
• and almost any other traffic infraction you have received in Washington State.

Which courts do you serve?

SNOHOMISH COUNTY COURTS 

KING COUNTY COURTS 

PIERCE COUNTY COURTS 

SKAGIT COUNTY COURTS

WHATCOM COUNTY COURTS

Whatcom County District Court
Bellingham Municipal Court
Ferndale Municipal Court
Lynden Municipal Court