Upon receipt of a citation, you must enter a plea of Not Guilty, Nolo Contendere/ No Contest or Guilty. A plea must be entered within 12 business days of the date your citation was issued. You must select a plea on each violation charged be requesting a plea form at the clerk’s window. Please be advised, only the person who received the citation can sign the plea form. Your plea can be made in person or by mail.
Not Guilty:
A plea of not guilty means you are informing the court that you deny guilt. Upon a plea of not guilty, a “pre-trial” date will be sent to you to appear before the prosecutor.
Nolo Contendere/ No Contest
A plea of no contest/nolo contendere means there is no contest to the charges against you. A plea of nolo cannot be used against you in the event of a subsequent civil suit for damages. Upon a plea of no contest, the fine must be paid. You may mail your payment to the court, bring it in person, or pay online.
Contesting a Ticket (Citation)
If you wish to contest a ticket, you may request a Pre-Trial Hearing. Simply ask for a plea form at the time of your initial appearance, read it carefully, and select the plea which allows you to be set for Pre-Trial.
Requests for a deferred disposition must be done at a Pre-Trial Hearing. Clerks have no authority to grant a deferred disposition in any circumstance.