While you may have busy schedules and tons of things to do, it is common to forget some of the things you had intended to do. You may forget to reply to a message or even fail to remember where you placed your car keys. However, if there is one thing you should not forget to do is attending a traffic violation hearing in Illinois.
Every citation you receive in Illinois has an instruction manual on the back of how you should respond. One of the options is paying for the ticket, which is not always the wisest solution. By paying for the ticket, you confirm that you are guilty, and you may receive additional points to your license. Other than paying for the ticket, you may choose to go to court. If you miss your date of court, the courts will indicate that you did not appear before the secretary of state, and that may, in turn, lead to the suspension of your license.
The court may assign another date for you to appear or issue an ex parte judgment regardless of your failure to show up. A judge gives such decisions when the defendant is not present and assumes guilt. If your ticket was for a misdemeanor, the court might issue a bench warrant for your arrest. You can, however, change the verdict by getting your lawyer to file a motion to vacate the judgment. They need to submit the appeal before the end of 30 days after the court judgment. If your driving record is bad, the move to vacate may become complicated.
This information is only for educational purposes. It is not legal advice.
