Appearing in Traffic Court

If you are required, or wish to appear in court for your traffic citation, carefully check the bottom of the ticket for the date, time and location you are scheduled to appear. If you cannot read the date and/or time, please call the Circuit Clerk at (815) 334-4190 to confirm when and where you are scheduled. 

When you arrive at the Judicial Center, find your name on the monitors located inside the main entrance to check your courtroom assignment. The monitors are located to the right of the metal detectors at the front doors of the building. These monitors alphabetically list all parties scheduled to appear in court that day. Once you find your name, your scheduled courtroom will be listed next to it.

You should arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled start time for court (8:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.). If you plead guilty or are found guilty, payment of your fines and fees is due in full that day. If you cannot pay your fines and fees in full on the day of sentencing, you will be required to set up a payment plan for completing your sentence. This payment plan will be set up at the payment windows in Room 136.

If you are found guilty in court, the judge will set your fine, but your court costs are determined by state law, with some amounts being set locally by the County Board. Effective July 1, 2019, court costs are determined by the schedules set for in the Criminal and Traffic Assessment Act. Minor Traffic offenses will have $226.00 (schedule 10) in court costs assessed in addition to the fine. Major Traffic offenses will have $325.00 (schedule 9) in court costs in addition to the court ordered fine. Neither the Judge nor the Circuit Clerk’s office has any control over the amount of court costs.