Fresno Traffic Court Cases
Traffic citations issued in Fresno are handled by Fresno County Superior Court. The city of Fresno does not operate its own traffic court. This is true for all California cities. Counties run traffic courts. When you get a ticket in Fresno, the case gets filed with Fresno County. The traffic court is located at 2317 Tuolumne Street in Fresno. This facility processes all traffic matters for the city and county. You can search for cases online through the Odyssey Portal. Most services are available remotely including payments and traffic school requests. The court call center operates Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM at (559) 457-1700. Email inquiries can be sent to InfoDeskCrim@fresno.courts.ca.gov for assistance with traffic cases in California.
Fresno Traffic Court Quick Facts
Fresno County Manages City Traffic Tickets
All traffic tickets from the city of Fresno go to Fresno County Superior Court. California does not have city traffic courts. The county processes every traffic citation issued within its borders. After an officer writes you a ticket in Fresno, that citation goes to the county clerk. Staff enter it into the court database. This takes time. Your case may not appear online for several weeks after the citation date in California.
The appear by date on your ticket is a deadline, not a hearing date. You do not need to show up at court on that date. You must respond by that date. Your options are to pay the fine, request traffic school if eligible, or ask for a trial. You can handle any of these options without visiting the courthouse. The Fresno County court website explains the process for each choice at fresno.courts.ca.gov for residents of Fresno and the surrounding county area.
The traffic court building is at 2317 Tuolumne Street in Fresno. This location serves the entire county. Morning arraignments happen Monday through Wednesday starting at 9:30 AM. If you need to appear in court for a hearing, check your citation or reminder notice for the date and time. Arrive early and be prepared in California.
Fresno County offers one ninety day extension for traffic cases. This is longer than most counties. You must request the extension before your original deadline. The court grants it automatically in most cases. But you only get one extension. After that, you must take action on your case or face penalties in Fresno County.
Look Up Fresno Traffic Citations Online
Fresno County uses the Tyler Odyssey system for case management. The public portal is at publicportal.fresno.courts.ca.gov. You can search by name or case number. The system shows basic case information for free. This includes your bail amount, due dates, and case status. You can also see if you have any scheduled hearings in California.
New cases take several weeks to appear in the online portal. The court must receive the citation from law enforcement. Then staff process and enter it into the system. Do not search too early. Wait at least three to four weeks after your citation date. If the case still does not show up, call the court at (559) 457-1700 to check the status in Fresno County.
The portal also displays payment information. If you already paid, it shows that. If you have a balance due, it tells you how much. You can see if traffic school has been requested or completed. This helps you track your case without calling or visiting the courthouse in California.
Fresno Traffic Court Procedures
Fresno County has a unique policy about trial by declaration. If you fail to address your citation by the due date, the court may deem that you elected to proceed with a trial by written declaration. This is different from most counties. Read your reminder notice carefully. It explains this policy. If you do nothing by your deadline, the court may treat it as a trial request rather than a failure to appear in California.
This does not mean you should ignore your ticket. It means the court gives you a second chance if you miss the deadline. But it is better to respond on time. You have more control over the process that way. If you want a trial, request it properly. If you want to pay or use traffic school, do that before the deadline in Fresno County.
Proof of correction cases have a twenty five dollar fee. This applies when you fix a problem like a broken taillight or expired registration. You pay the fee and show proof that you corrected the issue. The court then dismisses the case. This is much cheaper than paying the full fine. Take care of correctable violations quickly in California.
What to Expect After Getting a Fresno Ticket
The court mails a reminder notice before your deadline. This notice shows your total bail and explains your options. It also tells you if traffic school is available. Not every violation qualifies. The reminder makes your choices clear. But do not rely on getting this notice. The deadline on your original citation is binding even if you never receive a reminder in California.
If you miss your deadline, the court adds penalties. A civil assessment gets charged. This can be up to three hundred dollars. The DMV places a hold on your license. You cannot renew until the hold is lifted. Registration renewal also gets blocked. These problems pile up fast. Respond before the deadline to avoid them in Fresno County.
Fresno County allows one extension. Request it before your original deadline passes. The court grants most extension requests. This gives you an extra ninety days. Use that time to decide how to handle your case. But remember you only get one extension. After that, you must resolve the ticket or face penalties in California.
Traffic School Option in Fresno
Traffic school keeps your conviction confidential on your DMV record. Insurance companies cannot see it. This prevents rate increases. But you must qualify. You cannot have attended traffic school in the past eighteen months. The violation must be a one point offense. You cannot have been driving a commercial vehicle when you got the ticket. If all three conditions are met, you can request traffic school in California.
Fresno County charges a fee to process your traffic school request. You also pay the full bail amount. Then you pay the traffic school. Online schools typically charge twenty to fifty dollars for the course. Your total cost is bail plus court fee plus school tuition. Most people find this worthwhile to protect their insurance rates in Fresno County.
After the court approves your request, you have sixty days to complete the course. Pick a school from the DMV approved list. Online schools are convenient. You can log in and work through the material at your own pace. When done, the school notifies the court. The court reports completion to the DMV as confidential. This keeps it off your public driving record in California.
Watch the eighteen month rule. If you get another ticket before eighteen months pass, you cannot use traffic school for the second one. That ticket goes on your public record. Your insurance rates may increase. Be careful after completing traffic school to avoid another violation during that window in Fresno County.
How to Pay Fresno Traffic Fines
Pay your fine online through the Fresno County court website. The site accepts credit and debit cards. There may be a convenience fee for online payments. The site shows the fee before you submit payment. You can also mail a check or money order. Send it to the address on your reminder notice or citation. Write your case number on the check in California.
Cannot afford the full amount? Ask about a payment plan. The court looks at your income and sets up monthly installments. There is usually a setup fee. But spreading payments over time helps many people. Another option is community service. The court assigns a dollar value per hour of approved volunteer work. You can work off your fine this way in Fresno County.
Check the ability to pay program at mycitations.courts.ca.gov. If you receive public benefits or have low income, you may qualify for a reduced fine. The system asks about your finances. Based on your answers, it determines if you qualify. Many California residents save money through this program.
Missing Your Deadline in Fresno
The court refers unpaid cases to collections. They add penalties. The DMV holds your license. Registration gets blocked. The collection agency can charge more fees. They may intercept tax refunds. Avoid this by responding on time in California.
Already late? Call the court at (559) 457-1700 right away. Do not delay further. Explain why you missed the deadline. If your reason is valid, the court may reduce some penalties. But you must still resolve the case. Pay it or arrange a plan. Then the DMV can lift the holds on your license and registration in Fresno County.
Fresno County Superior Court
For complete information about traffic court in Fresno County, including detailed procedures, fees, forms, and courthouse hours, visit: