Traffic Court – Frequently Asked Questions Print this Page
Phone: (415) 444-7180
Email: traffic@marincourt.org
Location: Civic Center, Hall of Justice, Room C-10
Office Hours: 8:00am - 4:00pm





I have been cited for a traffic violation or minor offense. Do I need to appear in Court to resolve this?
My Courtesy Notice does not say “Mandatory Appearance”. What are my options for resolving this matter?
I plan to attend Walk-In traffic court to testify or give an explanation of why I was cited. Will the Judicial Officer hear my testimony?




I have been cited for a traffic violation or minor offense. Do I need to appear in Court to resolve this?

Only a small number of citations require individuals to appear in court, if you need to appear in person, the courtesy notices for these citations will have the words "Mandatory Appearance" on them.



My Courtesy Notice does not say “Mandatory Appearance”. What are my options for resolving this matter?

If you do not need to appear in person to resolve your matter, you have several options:

  • Pay the full amount on the courtesy or final notice on or before the due date.
    • Payments, and payments with requests for traffic violator school, may be made in person, by phone or by mail. If individuals must show proof of vehicle registration or insurance or proof that an equipment violation has been fixed, these issues can be handled by mail or in person.
  • Request that all or a portion of the bail be converted to community service work.
    • The Court has a community service work program for individuals who cannot afford to pay the bail on their citations. In addition, some individuals prefer community service work in lieu of paying the bail. Court staff can provide timesheets and information on community service work agencies.
  • Pay the full amount on the courtesy or final notice in installments within 90 days of the due date.
    • These installment plans do not require individuals to go to court to request time to pay; they can be set up by court staff in the Clerk's Office.
  • Appear in court and plead guilty by the deadline indicated on the citation or courtesy notice.
    • Individuals who intend to plead guilty to the violations on the citation may appear in 'walk-in' traffic court. Individuals often go to “walk-in” traffic court to do the following:
      • Request Traffic School when they are otherwise ineligible
      • Request community service in lieu of paying bail
      • Request a payment plan beyond the 90 day option
  • Appear in court and plead 'not guilty' by the deadline indicated on the citation or courtesy notice.
    • Individuals who wish to contest their citations may schedule a court trial at the Traffic Clerk's Office. The law enforcement officer who wrote the citation will be subpoenaed to appear at the trial.
  • Request a trial by written declaration and plead 'not guilty'.
    • By appearing in person at the Traffic Clerk's Office or by writing to the Court to request this kind of a trial. Individuals often choose this option if they live far away from the Court. This option may be used in lieu of a court appearance for individuals who are required to make mandatory appearances.



I plan to attend Walk-In traffic court to testify or give an explanation of why I was cited. Will the Judicial Officer hear my testimony?

Individuals sometimes elect to appear in walk-in traffic court because they want to give the court an explanation about why they were cited. The judicial officer will not hear testimony or explanations during walk-in traffic court. To contest the citation individuals may plead 'not guilty' in the Traffic Clerk’s Office. Then the Court will set a date for a court trial and no appearance in walk-in traffic court will be required.

Overview

The Traffic Clerk's Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except holidays. The office is located on the Court Floor of the Marin County Civic Center Hall of Justice in Room C-10. For directions to the Civic Center, please click here.

The Marin County Civic Center has three drive-though arches. From the middle arch lobby only, take the elevator to the "C" floor. After passing through security screening, go left to the end of the hall to Room C-10. For individuals wishing to speak with a clerk in this office, please call (415) 444-7180 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Calls are answered in the order received. Since these phone lines are very busy, the best times to call are early afternoons.

The mailing address is:
Marin County Superior Court - Traffic
P.O. Box 4988
San Rafael, CA 94913-4988

Spanish Language Services

The Traffic Clerk's Office has several Spanish speaking clerks to assist the public and some forms are also available for review in Spanish. In court hearings, there is usually a Spanish language interpreter in the courtroom to assist non-English speakers at these hearings.

 
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