4. Traffic Citations

You get a citation, or traffic ticket, when you violate a traffic law. So, if you drive with a suspended license and get stopped by the police, you will get a citation. Citations are dealt with in both municipal and state circuit courts. If a city police officer stops you, you will get a municipal citation. Otherwise, you will have to go to circuit court to resolve the ticket. A criminal traffic ticket will be in circuit court regardless of who issued it.

Traffic tickets may result in a forfeiture, meaning a monetary payment. Forfeiture amounts are determined by statute, and they can range in amount. For example, the forfeiture for a speeding ticket can range from $30 to $300. The municipal judge or circuit court judge decides how much the forfeiture will be.

A traffic violation remains on a person’s driving record for five years-- except OWIs, which stay for 55 years. Additionally, moving traffic violations and some equipment violations can also result in demerit points on a person’s driver’s license.