Traffic

The Traffic Division handles adult and minor traffic violations, minor offenses, Fish & Game violations, local city and county ordinances, boating, and dog/animal citations.  Parking citations are not handled by the Court - contact the citing agency.  Driving under the influence (DUI) violations are handled through the Criminal Division.

Traffic Division Court Schedules

• Department 8, Judge Warren C. Stracener
• Department 12, Commissioner Dylan Sullivan

General Information

• Courtesy notice
• Continuances
• Payment options/ online payments
• Payment plans
• Trial by Declaration request by mail
• Court trial request by mail
• Appear and plead not guilty
• Traffic school
• Proof of Corrections
• Insurance violations
• Collections

Courtesy notice

If you do not receive a courtesy notice, appear on the date and time listed on the citation.

Continuances

Infractions – only one 30-day continuance if the following apply:

• You have received a bail quote
• All charges on the case are forfeitable (no proof of correction needed)
• All charges on the case are active (means you have not appeared and pled)
• No active hearings are scheduled for the case
• Your current date to appear has not passed

To request a one-time only continuance of 30 days, click here:

Payment options/online payments

Send payment by mail to the address on the courtesy notice. Enclose a copy of the courtesy notice with your payment. Make checks payable to Superior Court of El Dorado County.  Or you can pay on line by Credit card or Electronic Funds transfer.

Pay Online.
To pay by Visa®, MasterCard® and Discover®, click here.

To have funds transfered from a checking or savings account, click here.

Payment plans

• Must be requested in writing;
• Additional $60.00 admin fee is added to total fine;
• Minimum of $50.00 per month;
• First payment is 10% of full amount due (including the fine and admin fee. Example: $235.00 (fine) + $60.00 (admin fee)= $295.00. You must pay $29.50, 10%, to start a payment plan.;
• Court will NOT mail monthly statement; and
• Receipts sent only if you provide a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Trial by Declaration request by mail

• Must post bail (amount listed on courtesy notice);
• Provide a letter pleading not guilty and requesting trial by declaration;
• Court mails defendant and arresting officer a declaration form for both parties to respond (with a due date usually 30 days from mailing);
• A decision will be issued and mailed; 
• If found guilty, bail is forfeited;
• If found not guilty, bail/fine will be returned to defendant within 4-6 weeks.

Court trial request by mail

• Must post bail (the amount listed on courtesy notice);
• Provide letter pleading not guilty and requesting court trial;
• Court will mail defendant and arresting officer notice of trial date (usually 6 weeks out);
• Parties appear for trial;
• If found guilty, bail amount will be applied to fine;
• If found not guilty, bail will be refunded within 4-6 weeks.

Appear and plead not guilty

• Appear in court, plead not guilty, and trial date set by clerk;
• Date to Appear according to date of violation
• Posting of bail waived;
• Officer will NOT be present until date of court trial.

Traffic school

You may choose to attend Traffic School for certain vehicle violations. To be eligible for Traffic School you must meet the following criteria:

• You have not attended traffic school for a citation issued within the last 18 months from the violation date.
• Your citation is for a moving vehicle code violation and does not exceed 25 mph over the speed limit.
• You do not hold a commercial driver's license.
• If your case involves a failure to appear, the failure to appear charge must be addressed or paid in full before you can attend traffic school.
• Your citation must be a moving violation and does not have a misdemeanor charge that requires a mandatory appearance in court.
• Your citation does not involve alcohol or drugs.
• Your citation is not for Vehicle Code sections 22406.5 or 21655.5.
• Your citation does not have a point count of more than one point under Vehicle Code section 12810 or more than one and one-half points under Vehicle Code Section 12810 or.5 (b)(2).

If you do not meet the above requirements, the clerk cannot grant traffic school and you must make your request to a judicial officer. If you are allowed to attend traffic school more than once in an 18-month period, the dismissal will still appear on your driving record.

If you choose to attend traffic school, please send the following:

1. A written request to attend traffic school;
2. A self-addressed, stamped legal-size envelope (with postage amount as indicated on the courtesy notice);
3. A check or money order for the amount of the fine indicated on the    notice made payable to “Superior Court”;
4. A separate check for the administrative fee of $67.00 ($69.00 after 01/01/12) made payable to "Superior Court”.

(NOTE - Traffic School fee is not refundable)

Proof of Correction

You must provide proof of correction for any correctable violation(s) to have your bail reduced and to clear the case. Bail can be reduced to $25.00 per violation being corrected. Should you choose not to provide proof of correction of violations other than 4000(a) VC registration violations, you may pay the full “bail without correction” to clear the case.

Proof of correction may be obtained in the following ways: A) Smog control device violations must be inspected & certified by an authorized Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Device Installation & Inspection Station. B) An authorized Inspection & Installation Station may certify light and brake violations. C) For other defects, proof of correction may be obtained at any law enforcement office during normal business hours.

Insurance violations

If you were cited for Insurance Violations – VC 16028(a) or 16028(c), and have no previous insurance violations on your driving record, one of the following may apply to you:

1. Providing proof of liability insurance on your vehicle or yourself showing you were insured at the time of the citation, reduces your bail for this violation to $25.00 per violation being corrected;
2. Providing proof of liability insurance on your vehicle or yourself purchased not more than 30 days after the date of the citation, bail is $469.00;

Collections

If your case has been sent to Collections for failing to pay or failing  to appear, contact:
Revenue Recovery
330 Fair Lane, Bldg. A
Placerville, CA  95667
Telephone (530) 621-5780

Traffic Division Court Schedules

Department 8

Judge Warren C. Stracener
2850 Fairlane Court
Placerville, CA 95667

Department 12

Commissioner Dylan Sullivan
1354 Johnson Blvd.
South Lake Tahoe, CA  96150