I was recently issued a traffic ticket what should I do?
First you must determine if your ticket is a traffic violation and not a criminal matter. As a general rule this can be determine by the way the ticket is written.
Locate the plea response date on the ticket. This date is typically located at the bottom of the summons. If an X or dot is placed in the box indicating “Respond by mail or in-person on, “then you may enter a guilty or not guilty plea by mail an APPEARANCE IS NOT REQUIRED on the date printed on the ticket (See below for instructions on how to proceed.)
If your ticket has an X or dot placed next to “Must appear in person on, “this is a criminal matter and you MUST APPEAR in the Carmel Justice Court on the date and time indicated unless you receive written correspondence from the court telling you otherwise.
If you were issued more than one ticket in one stop/road check, and any One of the matters requires an appearance due to its criminal nature, ALL tickets that were issued require an appearance before a judge either on the date printed on the ticket or a date that the court sets and in which case you will be notified by mail.
ENTER YOUR PLEA ON OR BEFORE THE DATE INDICATED ON THE TICKET BY MAIL OR IN PERSON. YOU NEED NOT APPEAR IN COURT ON THE DATE INDICATED ON THE TICKET. THAT DATE IS FOR A PLEA ONLY
To Enter a Guilty Plea
If you wish to plead guilty to a traffic violation first locate the plea response date on the ticket. This date is typically located at the bottom of the summons. Your guilty plea must be received by the Court on or before the date indicated.
Complete Section A on the ticket (“Plea of Guilty”), place an X through section B, and mail the ticket to the Court. Upon receipt of your guilty plea you will be sent a fine notice for the violation.
Paying for the ticket
Payment can be made either in person between the hours of 9:00AM to 4:00PM, by mail or by fax transmission or online. Acceptable forms of payment are cash; credit card (Visa, MasterCard) provided the cardholder is present at the time of payment, money order or check. Payment can be made via mail by check or money order please enclose your fine notice; or by completing the credit card payment section of the fine notice and returning it back to the Court or faxing it to the Court Clerk’s office. Our fax number is 845-628-4550.
On line payment – To pay for your traffic violation ticket online please go click here or call 1-888-912-1541.
To Enter a Not Guilty Plea
If you wish to plead Not Guilty to a traffic violation, you may do so by completing section B on the ticket (“Plea of Not Guilty”), placing an X through section A, and mail the ticket to the Court. The Court will then process your not guilty plea and mail you a Pre-Trial conference date. At that time you will have the opportunity to conference with the Town Attorney to see if a disposition can be reached.
Please note: it may take weeks or months before you receive written correspondence from the court. It is your responsibility to notify the court in writing of a change of address.