When you receive a traffic ticket, you have several options - one of which is to contest the ticket. When you want to contest the ticket, you need to do the following:
Contacting the Court
Check your ticket for a due date or a deadline. Call the Court Clerk on or before the deadline to request an informal hearing and get a court date.
Court Clerk: 734.794.6750
For hours of operation and additional information, visit the court’s website.
Preparing for Your Court Date:
- Prepare your argument. Your argument should show that you did not violate the ordinance (i.e., the light was yellow, and not red, when you entered the intersection). Practice this presentation ahead of time, making a concise argument and with your directions properly memorized; bring notes with you if necessary.
- Make a copy of the ordinance that applies to your case. You may bring this with you when you go to court. You can find the Ann Arbor Code of Ordinances online here.
- You may prepare a drawing or show photographs of the area to visually demonstrate your argument.
Going to Court:
What to Bring and What to Expect
- The informal hearing will include yourself, the police officer, and the magistrate. Attorneys are not allowed at informal hearings.
- Dress neatly and respectfully, as for any court hearing.
- Arrive at the court with enough time to go through security and check in with the court clerk.
Talking to the Police Officer Beforehand
- Find the police officer in the hallway or courtroom and ask if you can discuss your case with him/her.
- Politely explain to the officer why you requested the hearing and your perspective of what happened when they stopped you.
- Ask the officer if s/he is willing to amend the ticket to a lesser offense, ideally to one with fewer or no points on your driving record.
- Remember to be polite and remain calm, as being confrontational with the court or police officer will generally not help your cause.
- If the police officer says okay, and you accept, you will formalize the agreement in the courtroom before the magistrate.
- If the police officer says no, then wait for your case to be called.
Making Your Argument
- When your case is called, make your argument to the magistrate.
- You may also ask the police officer questions, such as:
- “Was anything obstructing your view of my vehicle?”
- “Were there other cars in the area that may have affected the radar?”
- “Was the radar properly calibrated?”
- If the ticket involves failure to stop or obey a traffic signal device, you may question the officer’s ability to view the sign or traffic light in question.
- After your presentation, you may ask the magistrate for a dismissal or reduction in fines.
Receiving a Ruling
- After listening to both your story and the police officer’s story, the magistrate will then make a ruling.
- If the magistrate does not rule in your favor, you may either accept the decision and pay the fine, or you may request a formal hearing before a District Court judge. If you have set the case for a formal hearing, please contact our office for additional advice on how to proceed.
If you prevail on your traffic ticket case, please report back to Student Legal Services. Your strategies may be helpful to other students!
NOTE: In the event that the officer does not appear, ask for a dismissal of your case. It may be dismissed or rescheduled by the magistrate.