Infraction, Parking, and Photo Enforcement

If you have been issued an infraction, parking, or photo enforced school zone ticket, you must respond by the deadline listed on the citation (30 days from the date issued or 33 days from the date the notice is mailed) by paying in full, requesting a payment plan, or requesting a hearing.

After the deadline, a penalty for failure to respond will be added to the balance of the fine. Unpaid balances on traffic citations will be sent to a collection agency and may result in the suspension of your driver's license. Unpaid balances on parking citations will be sent to collections and may prevent you from renewing your vehicle license tabs until paid.

Pay in Full

Pay In Full

☑ I agree that I committed the infraction and choose to pay the monetary penalty.

Traffic violations will be reported to the Department of Licensing (DOL) and will go on your driving record. Parking and photo enforcement tickets are not reported to DOL and do not go on your driving record.

To Pay in Full

Please see our Pay Tickets and Case Fines page for payment options.

Request a Payment Plan

Payment Plans

☑ I agree that I committed the infraction but request that the court provide me information about how to obtain a payment plan.

Traffic violations will be reported to the Department of Licensing (DOL) and will go on your driving record. Parking and photo enforcement tickets are not reported to DOL and do not go on your driving record.

To Request a Payment Plan

Mark the payment plan option on your ticket and return to the court or complete the Payment Plan Request form by the deadline listed on the citation.

The court will mail notice for granted requests with monthly payment instructions. The court does not save payment information or have the ability to automatically withdraw payments so you must proactively make your monthly payments. Please see our Pay Tickets and Case Fines page for payment options.

Collections

If your account is in collections, you must contact Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson to make a payment or arrange a payment plan at 1-844-576-4766 or online.

Request a Hearing

Request a Hearing

☑ (Mitigation) I committed the infraction but want a hearing to explain the circumstances and ask the fine be reduced.

☑ (Contested) I did not commit the infraction and want to challenge the ticket to explain why it should be dismissed.

Committed traffic violations will be reported to the Department of Licensing (DOL) and will go on your driving record. Parking and photo enforcement tickets are not reported to DOL and do not go on your driving record.

Hearing Process

  1. Request a hearing by the due date listed on your citation. Within 30 days from the date the ticket was issued or within 33 days from the date the notice was mailed. Untimely requests will not be considered.
  2. Receive hearing notice in the mail. Notice will be mailed to the address listed on the hearing request. If you do not receive a notice within 3 weeks of making your request, call or visit the Court during operating hours for assistance.
  3. Appear for your hearing or file your written statement. You may appear in person or via Zoom for your hearing or file a request for a decision by written statement no later than the scheduled hearing time. See our Hearing Instructions page for more information.
  4. Receive the decision. Hearings in person or via zoom will get a decision immediately. Decisions on written statements will be mailed or emailed afterward. If you do not receive a decision within 4 weeks of your hearing, call or visit the Court during operating hours for assistance. The order will include payment instructions if the infraction was found committed.

How to Request a Hearing

  • Return your citation to the Court. Follow the instructions on your citation, select the hearing type (Mitigation or Contested), include your name and mailing address. Mail to or drop off at Kirkland Municipal Court. If arriving after hours, you may file your hearing request in the silver drop box, located near the front door of the Kirkland Municipal Court.

Hearing Options

Mitigation Hearing

You admit you committed the violation but wish to explain the circumstances and request a reduction in the fine. All traffic related violations will be reported to the Department of Licensing and will reflect on your driving record. Photo enforcement and parking tickets do not appear on your driving record. The Judge's decision is final on mitigation hearings. There can be no appeal on these decisions.

Contested Hearing

You deny that you committed the violation and will present an argument to the Judge. The Judge will decide whether or not the infraction was committed based on a preponderance of the evidence.

If the Judge finds the infraction committed, the original ticket fine remains and traffic violations will be reported to the Department of Licensing which will reflect on your driving record. Photo enforcement and parking tickets do not appear on your driving record.

If the Judge finds the infraction not committed, the ticket will be dismissed and the fine will be waived.

You may, at your own expense, hire an attorney to represent you at the hearing. You may subpoena witnesses by filing a subpoena request form which can be obtained at the Court during operating hours. 

Deferred Finding

At your hearing or in your written statement, you may request a deferred finding instead of mitigating or contesting the ticket.

This option is discretionary with the Court and a way to keep a ticket from appearing on your driving record. The Judge will decide if you qualify for this option. You will not be eligible for a deferred finding if you have received one in the past seven years or if you are a commercial driver’s license holder. Deferred findings are not available on photo enforcement and parking tickets, as these are not placed on your driving record. You will be required to pay a $200 administrative fee, have no traffic infractions or criminal charges within the deferral period and may be required to comply with other conditions. If you comply with ALL conditions, the charge will be dismissed at the end of the deferral period and will not go on your driving record. If you do not comply with the conditions as ordered, a finding of committed will be entered. The Department of Licensing will be notified of the committed infraction. You will be required to pay the original penalty that is noted on your infraction as well as the administrative fee. Additional penalties may apply. To avoid additional penalties, contact the Court upon receiving a new citation. A request for a deferred finding is final. Once the Judge has granted the deferral you are unable to change your request.

Youth Traffic Court

Youth Traffic Court is an alternative method for teens age sixteen or seventeen to address a Judge and Jury of their peers and request their traffic infraction be dismissed and not appear on their driving record. See our Youth Traffic Court page for more information.

Your Hearing

Appear for your Hearing

Once the Court receives a timely hearing request and schedules a hearing, you will need to appear for that hearing in person, via Zoom, or by written statement.

In Person and Zoom

Come to Kirkland Municipal Court or login to the virtual Zoom hearing to speak with the Judge directly. Refer to your notice for the date and time of your hearing.

Please see our Hearing Instructions page for instructions to appear via Zoom or in person.

Written Statement

Per KMCLIR 4, a defendant may waive their in-court hearing to contest or mitigate an infraction by submitting their written statements no later than the schedule hearing time. Appeals are not permitted from a decision on written statements.

Complete and return the hearing by mail form included with your hearing notice or e-file the appropriate online form by your scheduled hearing time. Please call or visit the Court if you do not receive a notification of the ruling withing 4 weeks of your scheduled hearing date.

Motion the Court

Show Cause Motion

If you missed your mitigation or contested hearing or failed to respond to your infraction by the due date listed on the citation, you may motion the Court by submitting a Show Cause Request to explain why the Court should set aside a judgment entered upon a failure to appear in accordance with CRLJ 60(b).

Motion for Reconsideration

If you received a ruling from the Court and want to explain the circumstances to the Judge to reconsider the Court's ruling, you may motion the Court by submitting a Motion to the Court for Reconsideration no later than 13 days after the entry of the judgment, order, or other decision.

Site Navigation

 

 

Back to top