Payment Options

Please read your citation carefully. If you wish to plead guilty/admit responsibility and a mandatory appearance is not required, determine the amount of your fine by checking the list of common violations below. Mail a  CHECK OR MONEY ORDER  for the amount of the fine to the 38th District Court at the address above.

DO NOT SEND CASH.  If your violation is not listed, please contact the court at (586) 445-5020.  Each fee includes a fine, municipal and state costs, and mandatory state assessments (no state costs or assessments on parking violations). When issued a traffic citation, a defendant has three (3) options:

1. Admit responsibility in person, by mail or by representation, or plead guilty and pay the applicable fee.
Under this scenario, the Court shall enter a judgment, process the payment, and, if applicable, generate an abstract of conviction to the Office of the Secretary of State (SOS). The Court closes the case, and license sanctions (i.e. points, suspension), if any, are then applied by SOS.

2. Admit responsibility with an explanation (civil infraction only).
Under this scenario, you are admitting responsibility. The judge/magistrate cannot dismiss a case, reduce the charge, or reduce the points based on an explanation without a hearing. Based on the explanation, the judge/magistrate may assess the standard fine, reduce the fine, or set a hearing. You will be notified of the judge's/magistrate's decision by mail and will have 14 days from the date of mailing to submit payment to the Court.

3. Deny responsibility (civil infraction) or plead not guilty (misdemeanor) in person, by mail or by representation and request a hearing.

• For a civil infraction, the defendant may request either an informal hearing (before a magistrate or judge without representation for either the police officer or the defendant) or a formal hearing (before a judge with the option for the defendant to have representation and the city or county prosecuting attorney representing the police officer). For a misdemeanor, a pretrial hearing will be scheduled before a judge to determine whether a plea will be entered or a bench or jury trial will be scheduled.
• If an informal hearing is held and there is a judgment for the defendant, the case is closed (subject to appeal by the city or county prosecuting attorney). If there is a judgment against the defendant, the defendant must pay the applicable fee in full and the Court shall submit an abstract of conviction to SOS for appropriate license sanctions to be imposed. A defendant may appeal an informal hearing judgment by posting a bond in the amount of the applicable fee. A defendant must assert his/her desire to appeal in writing within seven (7) days of the informal hearing judgment. A de novo (completely new) formal hearing will then be scheduled before a judge.
• If a formal hearing is held and there is a judgment for the defendant, the case is closed (subject to the prosecutor's appeal). If there is a judgment against the defendant, the judge may require the fee be paid in full or set a due date for payment. If a bond has been posted, it shall be applied to the fee. The Court shall submit an abstract of conviction to SOS for appropriate license sanctions to be imposed. A defendant may appeal a formal hearing judgment to the County Circuit Court by paying the imposed fee or posting an appeal bond equal to the imposed fee and following the appeal process outlined in Michigan Court Rule (MCR) 7.100.

Double Fine Rules
38th District Court Fee Schedule for Violation in Construction Zones, School Zones or at Emergency Scenes Public Act 320 of 1996, Effective June 25, 1996

“. . . a person responsible for a moving violation in a construction zone, at an emergency scene, or in a school zone during the period beginning 30 minutes before school in the morning and through 30 minutes after school in the afternoon is subject to a fine that is double the fine otherwise prescribed for that moving violation.” (M.C.L.A. 257.601b)