If you're issued a traffic ticket in Michigan, you have a number of options. The first thing you should do is consult an attorney about your ticket, and get a full understanding of the ramifications. Not all traffic tickets are civil infractions; some tickets are actually misdemeanors, and can add significant points on your driver's license, which could mean losing your license, and increased insurance rates.
Once you've settled on an attorney, you can do a number of things:
Admit responsibility and pay the ticket. You could avoid late fees by remitting payment within 14 days of citation issue date. .
Admit Responsibility with Explanation – Send a letter to the Court with an explanation of the circumstances which the Court may consider in determining the amount of your fines and costs. The offense will not be dismissed or reduced and any licensing points imposed by the Secretary of State will not be reduced.
Request a Civil Infraction Conference – Depending on your driving record and the circumstances of the current violation, you may be eligible to request a conference with a representative from the police department for the purpose of reaching a plea agreement. The officer who issued your ticket will not be subpoenaed to appear. At the conference, you and a police representative will have the opportunity to discuss plea options. Neither side may be represented by an attorney. If you are unable to reach a plea agreement for any reason, you will still have the opportunity to deny responsibility for the charge and proceed to either an informal or formal hearing.
Deny Responsibility and Request an Informal Hearing – Deny responsibility and request an Informal Hearing in front of a Magistrate. The officer who issued your ticket will be subpoenaed for the hearing. Both you and the police officer will be required to present the facts of your case to the Magistrate. The Magistrate will then make a determination as to your responsibility for the offense based on the evidence presented. Neither party may have an attorney present for the hearing.
Deny Responsibility and Request a Formal Hearing – Deny responsibility for the offense and request a Formal Hearing in front of a Judge. The officer who issued the ticket will be subpoenaed for the hearing and will be represented by the prosecuting attorney. You may also have an attorney present. Both parties will be requested to present the facts of the case to the Judge. The Judge will then make a determination as to your responsibility based on the evidence presented.