General Information: 

Location and Hours: 

Amador Superior Court
500 Argonaut Lane
Jackson, CA 95642

Information phone:      (209) 257-2660
Business phone:      (209) 257-2605
Credit card phone:  1-800-862-5073

Business Hours:  9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Court holidays

Courtroom hours 8:00 a.m., to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday excluding Court holidays

All infraction offenses are handled by the Traffic Department.  It takes about 10 business days for the court to receive your citation from the issuing agency.   

A courtesy notice will be mailed to the address on your citation within four weeks from the date your citation was issued.  This notice will state the amount to be paid and/or what proof of correction will be needed to clear the citation. Fine information cannot be given until the citation is processed. 

If your address is not correct on your citation it is your responsibility to file a change of address form with the court. This form is MC-040 - Notice of Change of Address and Telephone Number and can be found at the following link: http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/forms and search for forms by number. The form must be completed in ink and dated and signed.

When you received your citation you were given a court date, which is written at the bottom of your citation. It is possible you will not need to appear at the court date, depending upon how you proceed with your citation.

Most citations may be processed by mail or in person without the need for a court appearance.  Please include the case number with any correspondence.  Checks, money orders or certified bank checks in U.S Funds are made payable to Amador Superior Court.  Partial payments are not acceptable.  DO NOT MAIL CASH.  Payment of the fine also known as bail forfeiture is the same as a conviction of the offense(s).  This will close the matter.

If you wish to plead guilty and forfeit bail, but need time to pay your total fine amounts, you may appear in person at the clerk's office at 500 Argonaut Lane, Jackson, CA, between the hours of 9:30 a.m., and 4:00 p.m., prior to your arraignment date. The clerk may grant either 30 days to pay the fine (with no additional fee) or 6 months to pay the fine (with an additional $30.00 fee imposed).

It is not mandatory that the court send you a notice by mail.  By signing the citation in front of the officer, you have given your written promise to appear in court on the date specified.

Telephone Citation Payment Information: 

This option allows you to pay your fine over the telephone by using your credit card.  Please follow the instructions on your courtesy notice. The appropriate phone number to call if you will be paying by credit card is 1-800-862-5073. You will be prompted to enter pertinent information contained in this courtesy notice by using your touch tone phone. The system will give you a verbal receipt number. The company charges a nominal fee for this service. 

Proof of Correction: 

Driver’s license, registration and mechanical corrections will be dismissed by the court if Proof of Correction and transaction fee is presented to the Court before due date.  If cited for multiple corrections, only one transaction fee is charged per citation. 

Processing clerks are authorized to grant an extension to complete the correction of the violation.  You must request the extension 2 weeks prior to the court date on your citation and include the new date obtained from the clerk at which you will be appearing.  Requests must be in writing, or in person at the clerk’s office during business hours. 

Mechanical corrections may be obtained at any law enforcement office during regular business hours.  Should you choose not to provide Proof of Correction you may do so by paying the full bail amount. 

Sale of the vehicle does not relieve you of the responsibility for correcting the violations. 

It is your responsibility to present or mail proof of correction 5 court days before your arraignment date, to get your court date vacated.

Insurance: 

If you were cited for an Insurance Violation (vehicle code section 16028(a) or 16028(c)) One of the following may apply to you:

If you provide proof of liability insurance on your vehicle (at the time of citation), the bail for the violation will be reduced to $10.00.

Insurance obtained after citation is NOT correctable.  You are responsible for full bail payment.

To Attend Traffic School: 

09/20/05 New Notice to Commercial Drivers regarding traffic school!!!

You may be eligible to attend Traffic School if you meet the following requirements:

• You must request traffic school with bail forfeiture prior to your arraignment date or you can request traffic school at your arraignment date. If you fail to request traffic school at either of these times and you have been sentenced, we cannot refer you to traffic school.
  
• You have a valid driver’s license at the time you were cited. 
  
• You have NOT attended Traffic School on a prior citation within 18 months + 1 day of your present citation.
  
• You were not cited for speeding in excess of 100 miles per hour. Traffic school for speeding in excess of 25 miles per hour over the speed limit must be ordered by the Judge.
  
• Your citation is for a moving violation and does not require a mandatory appearance or have a misdemeanor charge.
  
• You do not have a Failure to Appear hold on license or Civil assessment.  The Failure to Appear charge must be adjudicated or paid in full before you can attend Traffic School.
  
• Violation does not involve alcohol or drug use or possession.
  

If you meet these requirements and wish to attend Traffic School you will be required to pay an additional court fee of $24.00, PLUS the amount of bail indicated on your courtesy notice.  Checks may be made payable to Amador Superior Court.  There will be a separate fee collected by the Traffic School you choose to attend.  Upon receiving proof of completion of Traffic School in a timely manner, your citation will be dismissed. Please note - if you are requesting a court trial or a trial by declaration DO NOT send the $24.00 until you are convicted.

If Traffic School is requested through the mail, you are required to send self-addressed stamped envelope for written order to attend before your arraignment date.

You may attend ANY DMV approved school in the state. Schools are listed in the phone book.
Click here for a list of Court Approved Traffic Schools.  Including Home Study and Internet Traffic Schools.

If you fail to attend court ordered Traffic School, return the Certification of Completion within 60 days of order or payment, or decide not to attend, the fee will be converted to bail and bail will be forfeited. No further proceedings will be held and the violation will show on your driving record.  Your automobile insurance may be adversely affected.

If you are not eligible to attend and choose to do so, the conviction will be reported on your driving record and fines and fees will not be refunded.

Arraignments:

When you received your citation you were given an arraignment date and time found on the bottom of your citation, which you signed.  Requests to change an infraction arraignment date must be made pursuant to Amador Rule of Court Section 15.02 by the person who received the citation, by contacting (209) 257-2605 between the hours of 9:30 a.m., and 4:00 p.m., and must be made at least 2 weeks before your arraignment date. Call the clerk's office to obtain another court date, and then submit your request in writing to 500 Argonaut Lane, Jackson, CA 95642.  

An arraignment is the initial appearance and hearing before the court.  At this time, the charges are presented, and the opportunity to enter a plea is given.  The bail amount may be set and a future appearance may be scheduled.  The citing officer(s) will not be present. 

At the arraignment you may enter one of the following pleas:

• Guilty:  You admit to the violation(s).  This will result in a conviction once you enter your plea.   
  
• Not Guilty:  You deny the violation(s) and want to appear with the citing officer present.  You will sign a Written Promise to Appear and a Court date will be set.  Notification will be sent to citing officer(s) to appear. Please note, if you fail to appear, you may be charged with a misdemeanor (40508(a)VC) and a warrant may be issued.  A DMV hold may be place on your license.
  
• No Contest:  You neither admit nor deny the violation(s) occurred.  This plea is treated the same as a guilty plea.

To Enter A Plea Of Not Guilty:

COURT TRIAL:

The examination of facts and law will be presided by a judge.  The officer(s) will be subpoenaed to present any factual evidence.  At this time, you must also be prepared to produce all evidence, documents, or witnesses to support your case.

A court trial can be requested at your arraignment or you can request a court trial without appearing for arraignment.  The following requirements must be met to qualify for a court trial without appearing for arraignment:  

• Full bail must be paid
  
• Violation(s) must be infractions only
  
• No prior failure to appear on the case
  
• Enter a “not guilty” plea in writing

Trial By Written Declaration:

Vehicle Code section 40902 allows a defendant to contest citations in writing, without having to make a personal court appearance.  This procedure is called a “trial by declaration.”  Trials by written declaration are available in cases involving infraction violations of the Vehicle Code or of local ordinances adopted under the Vehicle Code.

The following must be met to qualify for a Trial by Declaration:

• Full bail must be paid
  
• Violation(s) must be infractions only
  
• No accident involved
  
• No failure to appear or failure to pay fine on the case

Instructions, TR-200 and Request for Trial by Written Declaration, TR-205 forms for a Trial by Written Declaration may be obtained by mail request to the court, in person or on the following link http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/forms and choose forms by number.  Submit the Trial by Written Declaration form with any facts or evidence you wish to have considered.  A written statement will be requested from the citing officer(s).  A judicial officer will review your case, and you will be notified by mail of the decision.

Fines:

Court ordered fines may be paid by mail or in person.  Checks or money orders should be made payable to Amador Superior Court.  To insure your case is credited correctly, write the case number on your check.  You may also pay by credit card at 1-800-862-5073.

Extensions:  

The clerk may grant a one time extension of the arraignment date on your infreaction citation. Extensions will not be granted to anyone who has been ordered to attend traffic school or has Court ordered fines.

Arrangements for an extension can be made by calling the clerk to obtain a new court date and time, then submitting the request by mail or in person two weeks BEFORE the due date shown on your courtesy notice.  The person whom received the citation must make the request.  You may apply for an extension on your court ordered due date to pay fines by submitting a completed Request for Modification to the court. Send your completed request and a self addressed envelope to: 500 Argonaut Lane, Jackson, CA 95642.

Failure to Appear Holds cannot be continued.  You may request an arraignment date for Failure to Appear, however, DMV holds will not be released unless the fine is paid in full, by cash or money order or you appear in court.   DMV holds will not be released immediately if paid by personal check.  There is a 30 day waiting period.

Failure to Pay Holds cannot be release unless fine is paid in full with cash or money order.  You cannot request a modification to release hold on Failure to Pays.

Payments:  

If you know the amount of your fine and wish to pay in person or by mail, please note you may pay at Amador Superior Court, 500 Argonaut Lane, Jackson, California 95642, during business hours. Please provide the clerk with your case number and correct address.  If you pay by mail and need a receipt, please send a self addressed stamped envelope.

You may pay your fine with your credit card by telephoning 1-800-862-5073.  This service is available 24 hours a day.  Please have your case number available.