The Traffic Division processes adult and juvenile traffic and minor offense matters noted below:
Traffic infractions are enforced by the issuance of traffic tickets ("citations") by law enforcement agencies. It is important to read the information on the front and back of the citation.
Information to note on the citation is the:
If you received a Notice to Appear for a red light camera violation the following information is provided to assist you:
For assistance with red light camera tickets call 1-866-790-4111
The Court mails a courtesy notice to the address shown on the citation approximately 2 weeks prior to the due date on the bottom of your citation.
The courtesy notice contains the following information:
For certain bail options (multiple violations and traffic school and/or proof of correction eligibility/bail), you may be required to contact the Court. Your courtesy notice will indicate "You must contact the Court for this bail amount."
Court employees cannot quote bail or provide information to you regarding your citation until the Court receives the citation from the citing agency which may take up to two or three weeks. If you do not receive a courtesy notice within one week prior to the appearance date on the bottom of your citation, it is your responsibility to contact the Court for bail or appearance information. Please call or visit the Marina Traffic Division during normal business hours.
If you are required to appear in Court, you will receive a mandatory appearance notice with a date and time to appear in Court.
If you fail to appear or pay your bail by the due date, your case will be referred to a collection agency with increased penalties listed below:
The Court does not process parking violations. Please contact the number indicated on the parking citation for processing details.
You may pay your citation using the following options:
By mail. You may send a check or money order in United States funds made payable to the Monterey County Superior Court. To ensure proper credit, write the name of the person who received the citation, if different from the name imprinted on the check, the case number or citation number on the front of the check. Please do not send cash. The mailing and street address for the Marina Court Division, which is the location accepting traffic payments, is on the Court location page
By credit card. Credit card payments can be made for most traffic and minor offense violations through the web. The Court accepts Visa, Mastercard and American Express through the automated system. A small convenience fee will be charged by EDS*Pay in addition to your bail or fine, and will appear as a separate item on your credit card statement. The fine can be paid in full or monthly payment arrangements can be made on line for your convenience. Please visit our website and click on the Traffic On-Line E-Pay icon.
The following transactions cannot be processed through the on-line system:
In person: You may appear at the Marina Court Location during normal business hours.
Drop box: For your convenience, a drop box for payments is available at the Salinas, Monterey and Marina court location. The payments will be forwarded on the following court business day to the Marina Traffic Division for processing. PLEASE DO NOT PLACE CASH IN THE DROP BOX.
Financial Hardship: If you cannot pay the full amount owing due to financial hardship and your case is not in Collections (past due and referred to Monterey County Revenue Division) you may request a fine reduction at https://mycitations.courts.ca.gov/ If your case is in Collections, you must contact Monterey County Revenue Division at (831) 755-5042 to begin the process to submit a petition.
TRAFFIC SCHOOL NOTICE: If you are eligible and decide not to attend traffic school your automobile insurance may be adversely affected. You are not eligible for Traffic School if you attended Traffic School within the last 18 months. One conviction in any 18-month period will be held confidential and not show on your driving record if you complete a traffic violator school program.
Pursuant to California Rule of Court 4.104, a court clerk is not authorized to grant a request to attend traffic school for a misdemeanor or any of the following violations:
If you wish to attend traffic school, it is your responsibility to determine if you are eligible based upon the criteria listed above. Upon receipt of your request to attend traffic school and the required bail amount and non-refundable processing fee, the Court will confirm your eligibility. If you qualify, you will be mailed a traffic school referral with the completion due date and a list of traffic school providers. If you do not qualify, the Court will not issue you a traffic school referral, the bail and processing fee will be applied to your case and you will be notified by mail that your case is closed. You cannot attend traffic school unless approved by the Court. If you are eligible and upon attendance of the class, you must file the original certificate of completion with the Court by the due date assigned by the Court. If you attend an on-line traffic safety school, the certificate will be delivered electronically to the Court. For information on the status of your completion certificate, go to www.courtcertservice.com.
If you reside outside of California and have an out of state license, the traffic school option will not appear on the courtesy notice. Upon receipt of the signed options page included in your courtesy notice, the bail, the court traffic school fee and a copy of your valid driver's license by the due date on your citation, the Court will mail you a traffic school referral with a completion due date for traffic school.
If the alleged citation has correctable violations, you must file the proof of correction with the court along with your request for traffic school and appropriate bail and fees.
You may be required to pay an additional fee to the Traffic School program. No extensions will be given for the Traffic School completion due date that will be listed on the traffic school referral.
There are two ways to contest a citation:
Vehicle Code section 40902 allows a defendant to contest citations in writing, without having to make a personal court appearance. This procedure is called a "trial by declaration." Trials by written declaration are available in cases involving infraction violations of the Vehicle Code or of local ordinances adopted under the Vehicle Code.
The following steps must be met in order to qualify for a Trial by Written Declaration:
You must review the Instructions to Defendant form TR-200 before submitting the Trial by Written Declaration form to the court clerk.
You must submit the Trial by Written Declaration forms along with the full bail and any facts or evidence that you wish to have considered to the court clerk. The Court will then request a written statement from the citing agency. A judicial officer will review your case, and you will be notified by mail of the decision.
If you wish to contest the result of the trial by declaration, you may file a Request for Trial De Novo (request for a new trial) within 20 calendar days after the date the court mails you the Decision and Notice of Decision. The clerk is required to set a trial date within 45 calendar days of the receipt of your request for a trial de novo. (Vehicle Code 40902(d))
If your request for trial de novo is not received timely, no trial de novo will be held and the case will be closed. (California Rules of Court 4.210(b)(7))
A court trial is a court hearing where you appear in person to testify about the facts in the case. The officer who issued the citation will be subpoenaed to appear. At the trial, you must also be prepared to produce evidence, documents, or witnesses to support your case.
A court trial may be requested at your arraignment hearing (you must schedule this with the clerk).
If you do not want to appear for an arraignment hearing, but still want to have a trial, you may request that from the Clerk's Office by phone or by mail. Pursuant to Vehicle Code Section 40519, you must post bail for this option of only having to appear in court once on the date of trial. The following requirements must be met to qualify for a court trial without appearing for arraignment:
If you must request a continuance/postponement of a scheduled court trial, please use the court form Request for Postponement of Traffic Court Trial (click for form). The Request MUST be filed with the Court at least ten (10) court days prior to the scheduled date. The opposing party will be given notice and an opportunity to object (click for form).
If a request for a continuance/postponement of a scheduled court trial is not received within ten (10) court days of the scheduled date it will be addressed at the hearing on the original date. You will be notified of the outcome after the hearing.
An appeal may be filed within 30 days only after being found guilty in a court trial. New evidence is not accepted on appeal. The Appellate Court's decision addresses the evidence offered and decisions made at the time of the trial. The court clerks are not authorized to give legal advice; therefore, if you need assistance in completing your appeal packet, you must contact an attorney.
For California Courts Traffic Online Forms Click Here.
The Superior Court has a limited, pre-set arraignment calendar and traffic counter services on the second Tuesday of the month at the King City Division of the Superior Court located at 250 Franciscan Way, King City, CA. If you would like to take care of a traffic matter, that you have received a courtesy notice on and your due date has not passed, you may appear in King City on the second Tuesday of the month to resolve your case. If you would like to appear in court for arraignment you may be eligible to have your case set on calendar in the King City Courthouse. Please contact the Marina Traffic Court at (831) 883-5300 to have your case set on this calendar.
For more information click HereThe Superior Court of California, County of Monterey, Marina Division, offers Night Court as a service and convenience to the public for traffic and minor offense arraignment hearings on the last Monday of every month, excluding holidays. You must contact a clerk to request your matter be placed on the Night Court calendar. You will need to check in with the Bailiff by 5:15 p.m. as the Court session begins promptly at 5:30 p.m. Click here for Court locations.
Pursuant to vehicle code section 42006 , and in addition to the penalty assessment, one dollar ($1) is collected for a violation of any section of the vehicle code or any local ordinance adopted pursuant to the vehicle code. This assessment is used to fund night court operations. Violations related to parking are not included.
Click Here for the 2021 Night Court Schedule Click Here for the 2022 Night Court Schedule