What is an Informal Hearing?
An informal hearing consists of the magistrate, the defendant and the police officer who issued the ticket. Attorneys are not allowed to participate in an informal hearing. Both individuals are placed under oath and the magistrate listens to the testimony. The burden of proving the defendant responsible is on the police officer, who is also called the plaintiff.

The plaintiff must prove by a preponderance of the evidence, or that it is more likely than not, that the defendant is responsible for the alleged traffic violation. The defendant is also entitled to testify, including having witnesses testify on his/her behalf.

At the conclusion of the hearing, the magistrate will make a determination of responsible or not responsible. If either party is not satisfied with the outcome, the case may be appealed within 7 days of the informal hearing to a formal hearing. If the decision is appealed by the defendant, a cash bond must be posted in the amount of the fine. A notice of the formal hearing will be mailed to the defendant within approximately 2 months.

Show All Answers

1. If I want to pay my civil infraction traffic ticket, what do I do?
2. Where do I mail my payment?
3. If I can't pay my traffic ticket in full, can I make partial payments?
4. If I want to deny responsibility for my civil infraction traffic ticket what do I do?
5. What is an Informal Hearing?
6. What is a Formal Hearing?
7. What is a waivable ticket?
8. Will points be assessed to my driving record?
9. What if I really had insurance, but could not produce the proof at the time I was stopped by law enforcement?