FAQs
Justice Court
If you contact the court prior to your court date, the judge can allow the date to be changed.
No. You have to have the ticket decided in the court in which you were cited to appear.
No. Tickets in Justice Court are violations and not crimes. As there is no penalty of jail time, you don't get a court appointed lawyer. You can hire your own lawyer. The Oregon State Bar offers reduced fee legal advice services.
Any fine imposed becomes due immediately, but you can enter into a payment plan with the court. There is a finance charge for the fine payment plan. Be aware, the court does not send monthly billing to people on payment plans; it is the responsibility of the person to make payments. Failure to comply with payment plans can result in fines being sent to a collection agency, and, in some cases, suspension of driving privileges.
Yes, usually the first Tuesday of each month at 4 p.m. Judge Denise Harrington conducts the court in Spanish.
No. We don't have those options.
Fines are set by the Legislature, which has established a minimum and a maximum fine for each category of ticket. The court has discretion to impose a fine amount between the maximum and minimum. However, the court cannot go below the minimum or above the maximum.
The court can find you guilty by default and impose a fine. Failure to appear can also result in suspension of driving privileges, and fines being sent to a collection agency.