Most traffic tickets are civil infractions, such as speeding, disobeying traffic signals, and careless driving. Civil infractions are minor violations of the law that are punishable only by a fine and may result in “points” assessed to your driver's license record. A list of assessed point values can be found in the Michigan Vehicle Code, and points specific to civil infractions can also be found on the 15th District Court’s traffic page.
Because most of these tickets are civil in nature, there is a low standard of proof that needs to be presented by the police officer to the court. Because of this, traffic tickets can be difficult to fight. However, there is no harm in trying to contest a ticket.
Keep in mind that some traffic tickets may be misdemeanor offenses. If you receive a misdemeanor ticket, you must appear in court for arraignment and enter a plea of either not guilty, guilty, no contest, or standing mute. Plea information and a list of rights can be found on this form provided by the 15th District Court. See our Criminal Traffic section for more details.