Citation Division
If you have received a citation (for example a traffic ticket or, less commonly, a citation from an agency that does not enforce traffic laws such as the Department of Wildlife or Washoe County Regional Animal Services) you can choose to pay the citation in full either in-person, online or by mail. If you choose to pay the citation in full, you may no longer contest the violation, a guilty disposition will be recorded, and the court case will be closed.
In addition to paying the full amount of the citation, there are other options that may be available to you depending upon the type of citation you have received, including the following:
Contesting a Citation Through a Formal Trial/Hearing
If you wish to contest (fight) your citation, you will need to contact the Court on or before the appear by date (for misdemeanor citations) or on or before your response date (for civil infractions). If you fail to contact the Court by those dates, it may result in the court issuing a warrant for your arrest (for misdemeanor citations only) or entering a default judgment against you (for civil infractions only).
If you are contesting a misdemeanor citation, the Court will first schedule you for a pre-trial conference with the District Attorney’s Office. During this conference, you and a deputy district attorney will have the opportunity to negotiate with one another in an attempt to resolve the matter out of court. If you cannot resolve the matter during the pre-trial conference, you will then have the opportunity to set your case for a trial/hearing in front of a judge or traffic referee.
If you wish to contest a civil infraction citation, you can do so by contacting the court by phone or in-person and asking the court to set your case for a hearing. However, if your civil infraction citation is set for a hearing, you will be required to file a bond – or pay a deposit into court – for the full amount of the citation, unless the court waives this requirement due to financial hardship.
If either your civil infraction case or your misdemeanor citation case is set for a hearing, you will be responsible for presenting evidence and making any legal arguments to support your case. The Court cannot offer you any legal advice to help you prepare for your hearing. Although you have the right to be represented by an attorney in a trial/hearing, the Court will not (except in very rare circumstances) appoint an attorney to represent you.
Informal Traffic Citation Resolution
The Reno Justice Court Informal Traffic Citation Resolution program allows participants to resolve civil infraction citations informally without having to come to court pursuant to NRS 484A.615. You are also not required to post a bond or pay a deposit into court if you elect to participate in the program.
Participation in the program is completely voluntary, and if you choose to participate in the program you must agree to waive certain constitutional rights including the right to a trial, the right to confront any witnesses, and the right to counsel.
You can use the program to either contest (fight) a citation without a formal court hearing or use the program to ask the court to do any of the following: reduce fines, penalties, and/or assessments that are owed pursuant to the citation; reduce certain violations to a non-moving violation; request a payment plan; or request community service in lieu of paying a fine/penalty.
If you wish to participate in the program, you must complete and file with the Court an Election to Participate in Informal Traffic Citation Resolution.
Citation Pre-trials
Monday through Thursday at 8:30AM
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Citation Division Contact
Phone: 775-325-6500