Taking Your Case to Traffic Court

Cross-examining an officer in traffic court: goals, what you can ask, and how to prepare.

In most states where new trials are allowed, you will have to appear before a judge and plead your case again. Learn more about appeal rules and their consequences.

In most states, you don't have the right to a jury trial for minor traffic offenses like speeding, running a red light, and distracted driving. So, if you want to fight a traffic ticket, your guilt will likely be decided by a single judge rather than a jury.

In most of the 50 states, you do not have the right to a jury trial in a traffic ticket case, which means a judge alone decides whether or not you are guilty. In the others, you can insist on a jury trial. When only a judge is present, traffic violation trials tend to be fairly informal—certainly more

How arraignments (the first court date) works in traffic court and the choices you have for entering a plea to the charges.

In any fight, it is best to know your opponent's strategy. Fortunately, you often have the legal right to do this (called "discovery")

Requesting a postponement of a traffic ticket due date or a continuance of a traffic court trial.

If you're fighting a traffic ticket in court, it's usually a good idea to prepare to testify ahead of time rather than walking into court and winging it.

Getting a traffic officer's note before trial through a process called "discovery."