No matter how careful of a driver you are, chances are good that at some point, you’ve gotten a traffic ticket in or around Las Vegas. Each year, tens of thousands of traffic citations are issued by courts throughout Nevada. If you have received a traffic ticket and aren’t sure of the status of your case, you can look it up online.
The key to a Las Vegas traffic ticket search is knowing which court issued the citation: a municipal court or a justice court. Once you have that information, which should appear on the ticket itself, you can go to the court website and determine the status of your ticket. If the website shows that a warrant has been issued, you should reach out to a Las Vegas, NV traffic violation attorney as soon as possible.
While most traffic tickets are relatively minor, they can have a significant impact on your life, causing your insurance premiums to dramatically increase if you have too many points on your driving record and costing you a substantial amount of money in fines and fees. In some cases, you may even face jail time for a traffic violation. That is why it is so important to work with an experienced lawyer to help you clear up your traffic matter.
How to Look Up Traffic Tickets
If you received a traffic ticket and are curious about the status of the case, you can learn more by checking an official government website. The first step is figuring out which court issued the traffic citation.
In Southern Nevada, there are two types of courts that handle traffic matters: municipal courts and justice courts. Municipal courts have jurisdiction over most traffic situations (as well as other misdemeanor criminal offenses) that arise within a particular city. In Clark County, there are five municipal courts:
- Las Vegas Municipal Court
- Henderson Municipal Court
- North Las Vegas Municipal Court
- Boulder City Municipal Court
- Mesquite Municipal Court
Justice Courts handle any traffic ticket matter within a particular county in Nevada, along with other misdemeanor criminal cases, preliminary hearings for felony charges, and small claims matters. There is typically one justice court for each township in the county. In Clark County, there are eleven separate justice courts:
- Las Vegas Justice Court
- Henderson Justice Court
- North Las Vegas Justice Court
- Boulder City Justice Court
- Bunkerville Justice Court
- Goodsprings Justice Court
- Laughlin Township Justice Court
- Mesquite Justice Court
- Moapa Justice Court
- Moapa Valley Justice Court
- Searchlight Justice Court
On your traffic ticket, the court name will be listed on the top left corner. Once you know the court that issued your traffic ticket, you can move to the next step: checking the status of your ticket.
How to Check the Status of Your Traffic Ticket
After figuring out which court issued your traffic citation, you can then check the status of that ticket. The process is relatively simple.
First, click on the link for the appropriate court (above). Second, search for your ticket using either your name or citation number in the “case search” box.
You can find the case number on a ticket by looking at the top right of the ticket itself. The citation number will be listed, along with other important information about your case, such as the violation date and time and the type of citation issued.
For example, for a Las Vegas traffic ticket search, go to the website of the appropriate traffic ticket court: Las Vegas Justice Court or Las Vegas Municipal Court. Click on the “search” function to lookup the status of your case. There, you will see additional information about your ticket, such as any upcoming court dates and the fine amount.
Some courts do not have an option for searching online, or may only allow you to search by case number. If the district court that issued your traffic ticket falls into one of these categories, you will need to call the court directly. In Boulder City Municipal Court, you will need to call the court at 702-293-9278 to determine the status of your case. You can reach the City of Las Vegas Municipal Court at 702-382-6878 if you don’t know your citation number.
Many courts allow you to pay your traffic ticket online using a credit card on the same website links listed above. Otherwise, you may need to send the payment directly to the court. Typically, the back of the citation will list options for how to pay the traffic ticket.
In some cases, when you do a Las Vegas traffic ticket search, you will learn that the court has issued a warrant, bench warrant, arrest warrant, or a citation for failure to appear (FTA). If you see any of these listed on your traffic ticket lookup, you should contact a seasoned Las Vegas moving violation attorney as soon as possible. In addition to other consequences, like points on your driver’s license or having to attend traffic school, you could be facing criminal penalties if a court has issued a warrant.
How Do I Pay a Speeding Ticket in Las Vegas?
If you got a Las Vegas speeding ticket, you can generally pay the fine in one of three ways. First, after doing a Las Vegas traffic ticket search, you can pay online using a credit card. Second, you can pay your citation by mail, making sure to write your citation number on the check or money order. Third, you can pay in person at the court and get a receipt for your payment.
Remember that you don’t have to just pay a Las Vegas speeding ticket – and that doing so means that you give up your right to fight the ticket. You can also hire a Nevada traffic violation attorney to fight the ticket – and potentially get the fines and fees reduced or even eliminated.
How Long Do You Have to Pay a Ticket in Nevada?
The due date for a traffic ticket fine will be located on the citation itself. Most traffic courts in Nevada have an option for paying online. If you choose to pay another way, such as by mail, make sure that you allow time for the letter to reach the courthouse. Sending the check or money order 3 to 5 days before the date that the fine is due is a good idea.
However, you don’t have to simply pay the fine on a traffic ticket. Instead, you can contest the ticket with the help of a seasoned Las Vegas traffic ticket attorney. Your lawyer can appear in court for you, make legal and factual arguments about the validity of the ticket, and potentially have the ticket reduced or dismissed – which can affect the amount of money due significantly.
What Happens If I Don’t Show Up in Court for My Traffic Ticket?
If you fail to pay the fine for a moving violation in Nevada and then fail to appear in court on the date listed on your ticket, then a judge may issue a bench warrant for your arrest. If you don’t surrender within 30 days, or if your attorney doesn’t have the warrant quashed in that time period, then you may be charged with contempt of court or failure to appear. Even for relatively minor infractions like traffic tickets, a failure to appear charge carries steep penalties, including 1 to 4 years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines.
The possibility of stiff consequences for missing a court date makes it all the more important that you do a Las Vegas traffic ticket search as soon as possible after receiving a ticket. That way, you’ll be able to view the important information about your case – and make sure that you hire a lawyer to represent you and avoid the possibility of being arrested.
Help for Las Vegas Traffic Tickets
A traffic citation may seem pretty minor. Unfortunately, as too many people in and around Las Vegas have learned, any type of Las Vegas traffic ticket can have a serious impact on your life. A skilled Nevada traffic violations attorney can help you negotiate the process and reduce the likelihood of being punished harshly for a moving violation.
At Cap and Kudler, we work hard to protect the rights of our clients throughout southern Nevada. If you have done a Las Vegas traffic ticket search and are concerned about what might happen to you or your driving privileges, give us a call at 702-878-8778 or fill out our online contact form. Initial consultations are always free of charge.
