What are my options?
You may exercise one of the listed options on or before your appearance date. The appearance date is listed at the bottom of your citation.
Option 1. Enter a plea of no contest and pay the presumptive fine.
Option 2. Enter a plea of no contest with an explanation to the Judge.
Option 3. Enter a not guilty plea and request a trial.
You have the right to enter a plea of not guilty. You can either enter a plea by mail or in person. Upon entry of a not guilty plea, the court will schedule a trial date. You should be aware that if you are found guilty at trial, you will not be offered the option of traffic school and the conviction will be entered on your driving record.
Option 4. Attend traffic school and pay the presumptive fine and an additional fee.
Marion County Justice Courts offers a traffic school program. This is a good option if you are concerned about your driving record. There is an additional fee involved, but the violation will not go on your driving record if you complete the program and have no subsequent traffic violations within six months. To qualify for the program you must meeting the following criteria:
You may NOT participate in the traffic school program if you:
Requests to attend traffic school must be done in person at arraignment. If you have an out-of-Oregon driver’s license you must provide the court with a copy of your driving record at arraignment. If your request if approved you will receive information on when to attend the traffic school class and you will be required to pay the presumptive fine within seven days of being approved for the traffic school program. The typical cost for the class is $50.00, which is an additional cost to you.