Civil Traffic Information

Coolidge Municipal Court
110 West Central Avenue
Coolidge, Arizona 85228
Phone: 520-723-6031
FAX: 520-723-6067

The Civil Traffic Information Page is here to provide a brief description of your options after you receive a traffic complaint and the steps involved in the various Court processes.

Upon Receiving Your Traffic Complaint

The civil traffic complaint you received includes a Court date and time for your Court appearance. You must decide how you want to handle the violation(s) you have been cited for by the time of your Court date. You have three options for addressing the citation:

OPTION #1:

Defensive Driving Program

By attending a Defensive Driving School you will receive a dismissal for one violation. However, not all violations are eligible for this program. You can call the Court if you have any questions regarding the eligibility for Defensive Driving School. You are not eligible if you have attended a Defensive Driving Program in Arizona within the last 24 months. If you have been cited for more than one violation on your complaint, only one can be dismissed by attending the Defensive Driving Program.
If you attend a Defensive Driving Program, you waive your right to a hearing on that violation.
Upon successful completion of the Defensive Driving Program, that violation will be dismissed.
OPTION #2:

Plea of Responsible (Guilty)

This plea means that you agree you committed the violation stated on the complaint. (The word "Responsible" is used with civil violations while the word "Guilty" is used with criminal violations.)
Pay the amount of the fine by mail or in person on or before your Court date.
OPTION #3:

Plea of Not Responsible (Not Guilty)

This plea means that you deny that you committed the violation stated on the complaint and that the State must prove its charges against you at a hearing.

If you received a complaint with more than one charge, you will need to enter a plea for each charge. You are not required to enter the same plea for all charges.

To request a Hearing appear in Court on or before your assigned date to have your complaint set for a hearing.

If you request a hearing, it will be scheduled about four weeks from the date your request was received.
You may be represented by an attorney or you may present your own case at your hearing. If you decide to have an attorney represent you, you must notify the Court in writing at least 10 days prior to your hearing. You cannot be represented by someone who is not an attorney.
A hearing is similar to a trial. The State's witnesses will testify first. After each witness has testified, you will have an opportunity to ask the witness questions. After the State's witnesses have testified, you may present your case. You may call other witnesses who know something about the incident to testify for you. You may testify on your own behalf. In addition, you may present other evidence such as documents, photographs, etc. The Hearing Officer or Judge may also question you, the police officer, and other witnesses, to find out what happened. The burden of proof required for a Hearing Officer or Judge to make a finding of responsible is preponderance of the evidence. The Hearing Officer or Judge will listen to the facts presented at your hearing and decide whether it is more probable or not that you committed the civil violation alleged on your complaint.
If you are found "responsible", the Hearing Officer or Judge will indicate what your penalty will be. If the Hearing Officer or Judge's sentence includes a fine, payment in full is expected on the day of sentencing. Payment may be made by cash or money order. If you meet certain financial requirements, you may be allowed some time to pay. However, a time payment fee will be added to the amount that you owe.

If You Fail To Pay Your Fine Or Appear For Your Court Date:

If you fail to appear on your assigned Court date, or fail to comply with the Hearing Officer/Judge's sentencing requirements, a default judgment of responsible will be imposed. For civil traffic violations, the Court will notify the Motor Vehicle Department that you are in default. They will suspend your driver's license and/or your privilege to drive. If your driver's license or privilege to drive is suspended as the result of a default judgment, you will be required to pay the fine, a default fee, and additional fees to the Motor Vehicle Department in order to have your driver's license or privilege to drive reinstated. If you drive while your license or privilege to drive is suspended, you will be subject to criminal penalties and additional sanctions.

Right To Appeal

You have the right to appeal a final decision of this Court by filing a Notice of Appeal within fourteen (14) calendar days of the judgment of responsible. You are not required to pay the fine or post the bond to exercise your right to appeal. However, if you choose not to pay the fine or post the bond on the day the final judgment is entered or make arrangements to pay with the Court, the Court will enter a default judgment against you and additional fees will be assessed.

An appeal is a legal process in which a higher court (Pinal County Superior Court) reviews the decision of a lower court (Coolidge Municipal Court) based on the audio record of your hearing. An appeal is not a retrial of your case and you cannot present new evidence or testimony. You are responsible for all appeal charges/fees.

This Web Page is offered to help you understand Civil Traffic Citations and is not intended to be legal advice but only an explanation of proceedings, including your rights and duties.