The Traffic Court is
located at 800 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
19123-2690. The Court is open to
the public between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 7:30 P.M., Monday
through Friday.
Our mailing address is: 800 Spring Garden Street, Post Office Box
56301, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19130-6301. Our main telephone
number is (215)686-1675.
Philadelphia Traffic Court attempts to offer the community the most
efficient service possible. Through extended evening hours and
affordable payment plans, it is the court's objective to make
resolution and payment of outstanding traffic citations as convenient
as possible for responsible citizens.
Traffic Court
Description Philadelphia Traffic Court is a summary court of
limited jurisdiction and not a court of record. There are seven
elected judges currently sitting as the Traffic Court Judiciary,
trained by the Commonwealth specifically to preside over and
adjudicate citations issued within the County of Philadelphia, City of
Philadelphia, as provided in the Title 75 Vehicle Code, set by
the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The original
police officer that issues citations is not required to be present at
the Philadelphia Traffic Court trial of the defendant, however, a
liaison officer from the same police department or division thereof
shall represent the issuing officer and prosecute in the due process
of the trial. Upon appeal, the original officer will be summoned to
appear at the appeal process.
The Traffic Court is responsible for the collection of fines resulting
from the issuance of citations by the Philadelphia Police Department
and other various law enforcement agencies. This court will schedule
hearings for these citations and will fairly adjudicate cases
according to Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code. This
court can issue warrants for unpaid citations and arrest defendants
with one or more outstanding violation(s) on record at Philadelphia
Traffic Court. Individuals may appeal all Traffic Court cases and
receive a trial de novo in the Court of Common Pleas.
A scheduled hearing date is on the front of the issued citation but it
is the responsibility of the defendant to respond within ten days to
the issued citation. A defendant can respond in person, by mail or by
the internet. Failure to respond will result in the imposition of an
administrative fee of $25.00, license suspension, the issuance of a
summons, and the issuance of a warrant for arrest.
The Courts of Traffic Court
Impoundment
Court operates between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M., Monday through Friday.
Motion Court
operates between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M., Monday through Friday.
Drag Racing
Court is specifically dedicated to trials for violators of
Sections 3367a and 3367b of the Vehicle Code. The Administrative Judge
of Traffic Court convenes Drag Racing Court as the necessity dictates.
Violators will be scheduled to appear in Drag Racing Court and may be
represented by council. Fines and penalties of these violations are
based on the severity and recurrence of the offense.
DA Court is held on
Fridays at Philadelphia Traffic Court. Defendants who have been
arrested for warrants issued by Traffic Court or could be subject to
incarceration are scheduled to appear for trial prosecuted by the
District Attorney of Philadelphia. The defendant has the right to an
attorney or to represent himself. A public defender may be assigned to
a defendant as long as they meet the proper requirements in this
special court proceeding. Defendants in this court procedure are
subject to further incarceration and fines as directed by the
presiding judge.
Vehicle Overweight Court
operates two times each month. Citations issued to drivers receiving
violation citations under Chapter 49 of the Vehicle code will be
scheduled to appear for trial in Overweight Court. These violations
are directed primarily to truck drivers and trucking companies. Fines
and penalties are based on the severity of the violation as described
by the issuing officer.
SUSPENDED
LICENSE
If your license is suspended, you must contact the Department of
Transportation to request a letter listing all the requirements for
restoration of your license. Click here for additional
information. You may contact the Department of Transportation,
toll free within Pennsylvania, at 1-800-932-4600. Outside of
Pennsylvania, at 1-717-391-6190.
Upon receipt of the letter, you must appear personally at Traffic
Court with a copy of the letter and the information identified in the
letter as well as payment for outstanding fees, fines and costs. No
information can be released by the Traffic Court over the telephone or
through this Website.
The Philadelphia Traffic Court:
800 Spring Garden Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123
2. APPEAL HOURS - Appeals may be filed between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 7:00 P.M., Monday through Friday.
3. APPEAL PERIOD - A citation must be appealed within thirty
(30) days from the date that a Defendant plead guilty or was convicted
by a Traffic Court judge. A Petition To Appeal Nunc Pro Tunc must be
filed to appeal a citation more than thirty (30) days after the entry
of a guilty plea or conviction. If a Petition To Appeal Nunc Pro Tunc
is granted, a Notice of Appeal from Summary Conviction (Traffic) Nunc
Pro Tunc must be filed. An Appellant may appeal Citations disposed
more than 30 days BUT less than one (1) year after a guilty plea or
conviction by filing a Petition for Disposition Only provided certain
rights are waived. See Appeal Options for Untimely Appeals below.
4. APPEAL FORMS - Forms are available at the Philadelphia
Traffic Court and may be downloaded here:
Assistance with completion of the forms will be provided at the
Traffic Court, and it is thus preferable that a Defendant come to the
Traffic Court to complete and file the forms (although the appeal
forms can be mailed).
5. FILING FEE - The filing fee to file a Notice of Appeal is
$35, and the filing fee to file a Petition To Appeal Nunc Pro Tunc or
Petition for Disposition Only is $12.50. Filing fees may be paid by
Credit Card, Cash, Check or Money Order (made payable to "Philadelphia Traffic Court"). The filing fee will not be waived, and must be paid
at the time the Notice of Appeal, Petition To Appeal Nunc Pro Tunc, or
Petition for Disposition Only are filed. An Appellant who alleges that
he/she is indigent and financially unable to pay the filing fee will
be permitted to file the appeal without the payment of fees if a
Petition to Proceed In Forma Pauperis listing Appellant's income and
assets is filed contemporaneously with the appeal. The Petition to
Proceed In Forma Pauperis will be assigned to the Judge hearing the
appeal who, upon determining that Appellant is not indigent, may order
Appellant to pay the filing fee before hearing the merits of the
appeal. NOTE: The applicable filing fees are imposed for each Notice of
Appeal or Petition To Appeal Nunc Pro Tunc filed (regardless of the
number of citations listed on each form); however, only those
citations issued during the same stop may be listed on the same form.
A separate Notice of Appeal, Petition To Appeal Nunc Pro Tunc or
Petition for Disposition Only must be completed for citations issued
at different stops. NOTE: The Owner of a motor vehicle impounded pursuant to
Sections 6309, 6309.1 and 6309.2 of the Motor Vehicle Code, while the
motor vehicle was being driven by someone other than the owner, may
appeal the Traffic Court denial of the owner's request to return the
motor vehicle by filing a Notice of Appeal and paying a filing fee of
$25.
6. COURT HEARING - A hearing date will be scheduled at the time
of filing of the Notice of Appeal, Petition To Appeal Nunc Pro Tunc or
Petition for Disposition Only. NO OTHER NOTICE OF THE HEARING DATE
WILL BE GIVEN. If an Appellant fails to appear on the hearing
date, the appeal will be dismissed by the Court of Common Pleas AND
WILL NOT BE RELISTED.
7. IMPORTANT INFORMATION Appeal Options for Untimely Appeals An
Appellant who seeks to file an appeal more than thirty (30) days after
a guilty plea or conviction must file a Petition To Appeal Nunc Pro
Tunc, and must allege and prove that: (1) the delay in filing the
appeal was caused by extraordinary circumstances involving fraud or
wrongful or negligent act of a court official; and (2) Appellant acted
promptly in filing the Appeal after learning of the existence of the
fraud or wrongful or negligent act of a court official.
The District Attorney's office has agreed to an alternate Appeal
process wherein an Appellant who seeks to appeal citations disposed
more than 30 days BUT less than one (1) year after a guilty plea or
conviction will be given the option of filing a Petition for
Disposition Only provided the Defendant waives the presence of the
Police Officer for the Court of Common Pleas hearing and Appellant
further agrees to not raise the statute of limitations as a defense to
any citation that has been appealed.
However, the mere filing of the Petition for Disposition Only does not
mean that the District Attorney's office will enter into a plea
agreement. Rather, Appellant is merely provided an opportunity to
enter into a plea agreement with the District Attorney's office, and,
if the District Attorney's office refuses to enter into a plea
agreement after review of the facts of the case and Appellant's
driving record, the Court will not permit Appellant to plead guilty to
a lesser offense, no hearing will be held, and the Petition will be
denied by the Court. An Appellant who seeks to appeal citations
disposed more than 30 days BUT less than one (1) year after a guilty
plea or conviction must choose whether to file a Petition To Appeal
Nunc Pro Tunc or a Petition for Disposition Only, and may not file
both, either at the same time or serially, in connection with the same
citation.
Payment Plan - An Appellant must continue making their scheduled
payments after the filing of a Notice of Appeal UNLESS ALL citations
which are part of the Payment Plan have been timely appealed. An
Appellant must continue to make scheduled payments after the filing of
a Petition to Appeal Nunc Pro Tunc. The Payment Plan may be modified
after the Petition is disposed by the Court of Common Pleas.
A citation can only be appealed once. If an appeal has been dismissed
or denied by the Court of Common Pleas, you cannot appeal the citation
again.
A Notice of Disposition will be sent to the Appellant at the address
listed on the petition or Notice of Appeal no later than thirty (30)
days after the Appeal Hearing. A DL-21 will be sent to PennDOT within
ten (10) days of the disposition date. Upon receipt of the DL-21 it
may take PennDOT (or other Department of Transportation if Appellant
is licensed by a state other than Pennsylvania) thirty (30) days or
more to update the Appellant's "operator history." Accordingly, please
do not contact the Traffic Court or Court of Common Pleas to inquire
about the status of the update of your operator history for
approximately 45 days after you have received the Notice of
Disposition. You may contact PennDOT directly at (800) 932-4600.
Unless Appealed as provided above, Traffic Court adjudications are
final, and are not subject to reconsideration. If the fines assessed
are not timely paid, further proceedings can ensue to collect the
outstanding fines, including suspension of your driving privileges and
issuance of a warrant for your arrest.
Administratively Canceled Citations
Certain citations can be administratively canceled (or withdrawn) by
the Police if proof of documentation is presented personally at the
Police Liaison Unit of the Traffic Court within the time limits set
forth below. (This information is printed on the reverse side of the
Defendant's copy of the citation). CITATIONS ALLEGING VIOLATION OF
THE FOLLOWING STATUTES WILL BE CANCELED IF THE REQUIRED PROOF IS
PRESENTED WITHIN FIVE (5) DAYS OF ISSUANCE OF THE CITATION:
§ 1301 - Registration and certification of title required;
§ 1311 - Registration card to be signed and exhibited on demand;
and
§§ 1786 and 3743 - Required proof of Financial
Responsibility.
§ 6308 - Police Investigation (registration or insurance)
CITATIONS ALLEGING VIOLATION OF THE FOLLOWING STATUTES WILL BE
CANCELED IF THE REQUIRED PROOF IS PRESENTED WITHIN FIFTEEN (15) DAYS
OF ISSUANCE OF THE CITATION:
§ 1501 - Drivers required to be licensed;
§ 1511 - Carrying and exhibiting driver's license on demand;
and
§ 1606(a) - Requirement for commercial driver's license.
§ 6308 - Police Investigation (license)
To request cancellation, you must appear personally at Police Liaison
Unit of the Traffic Court, 800 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA
19123 between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 2:30 P.M., Monday through
Friday.
Please Note: After the time periods set forth above, the
citations CANNOT be administratively canceled (or
withdrawn). You must then plead guilty and pay the fine or if you plan
to contest the citation, you must plead not guilty.
Continuance
Policy (a) All continuance requests shall be in writing on a
court-approved form; reference the citation number and the defendant's
driver license number; identify the date, time, and, if applicable,
the courtroom it is listed for; and specifically state the reasons for
the request.
Documentation substantiating the request for the continuance (i.e.
proof of necessary hospitalization, pre-paid vacation, military
service, etc.) must be submitted.
(b) Timing of request. All requests for continuance
must be received by the Philadelphia Traffic Court at least 48 hours
before the date set for the trial or hearing. A later request shall
only be granted if the defendant or defendant's attorney of record
establishes that the cause for the continuance request did not
previously exist, or that the defendant was not aware of the grounds
for the request, or the interests of justice require it.
(c) Address Where Continuance Requests are to Be Mailed or
Delivered. All requests for continuances are to be mailed or
delivered to the Philadelphia Traffic Court, 800 Spring Garden, Post
Office Box 56301, Philadelphia, PA 19130-6301. All requests for
continuances shall be assigned to the Administrative Judge or his/her
designee who shall rule on the request, in writing, and shall state
the reasons for the granting or denial of the continuance.
(d) Requests For Continuance on the Trial Date. All
requests for continuances on the day of the summary trial or hearing
shall be in writing, on the court-approved form, and shall be
presented to the presiding judge. All such requests shall be denied
unless the defendant or the defendant's attorney of record establishes
that the cause for the continuance request did not previously exist,
or that the defendant was not aware of the grounds for the request, or
the interests of justice require it. The presiding judge shall rule on
the request, in writing, and shall state the reasons for the granting
or denial of the continuance.
COMMENT: Continuance requests must be made timely to enable
the Court to review and properly rule on them. The Court may
entertain written requests from unrepresented parties if not
made on the court-approved form as long as the required
information is provided. Documentations ought to be provided
as necessary. Continuance requests may be disposed
administratively.
Please Note: Unless you receive confirmation that the
trial has been continued, the request is deemed denied and the trial
will proceed as scheduled. In the event you fail to appear, the trial
will proceed in your absence, and you will be notified of the outcome.
Attorney Appearances and Withdrawals (a) Entry of Appearance. (1) Counsel for defendant
shall file with the Attorney Filing Unit an entry of
appearance identifying the citations for which counsel has been
retained. The entry of appearance shall include the attorney's office
address, electronic mail address, phone number, and the Supreme Court
attorney identification number. An entry of appearance seeking to
limit representation to a specific hearing shall not be accepted. (2)
When counsel is appointed pursuant to Pa.R.Crim. P. 1035, Appointment
of Counsel, the filing of the appointment order shall enter the
appearance of appointed counsel. (3) Counsel shall not be provided any
defendant information unless an Entry of Appearance is filed with the
Attorney Filing Unit.(4) An attorney who has been retained by
a defendant and entered an appearance as provided in this rule shall
continue such representation in the Traffic Court until granted leave
to withdraw by the court pursuant to paragraph (b). An attorney who
has been appointed by the court pursuant to Pa.R.Crim. P. 1035 shall
continue representation as provided in Local Rule 1035.
(b) Withdrawal of Appearance. Counsel for a defendant
may not withdraw his or her appearance except by leave of court. The
request shall be in writing or may be made orally in open court in the
presence of the defendant. The Court may grant the request to withdraw
when new counsel enters an appearance, when new counsel is appointed
to represent the defendant, or when the defendant intelligently waives
the right to counsel.
COMMENT: The entry of appearance process has been problematic
in Traffic Court proceedings. This Local Rule is designed to
advise all parties that counsel must enter an appearance as a
precondition to representation of Traffic Court defendants.
Traffic Court will not provide defendant information to
counsel until an entry of appearance is filed. Counsel is not
permitted to enter an appearance for a limited purpose -i.e.
representation for a warrant hearing, or impoundment hearing
and the like. Rather, counsel must enter an appearance in
connection with all proceedings in the Traffic Court and must
officially withdraw from the case to be relieved of further
legal obligations at the Traffic Court level.
Impounded
Vehicles
If your vehicle has been impounded, you must appear before a Judge to
show proof of compliance, pay all outstanding fines and costs, and
receive a Certificate of Release. In addition to the Certificate of
Release, you must show the Impoundment Officer proof of a valid
license, registration, and insurance or financial responsibility to
obtain the release of the impounded vehicle. Please report to the
Traffic Court's Boot & Tow Window in the Customer Service area,
and you will be processed to the assigned Judge.
Establishing or
re-establishing a Payment Plan
If you would like to establish or re-establish a payment plan by
pleading Guilty Or have been found guilty by a Judge you must appear
before a Traffic Court Motion Court Judge between the hours 9:00 A.M. - 7:00 P.M. Monday through Friday.
Arrest or
Incarceration of Scofflaw Violators
To inquire about the status of a family member who was incarcerated by
a Traffic Court Judge or who is currently being detained in our
holding room, please call our Information Officer at 215 686-1687.
If appropriate, you may be referred to the Enforcement Unit.
THE PHILADELPHIA TRAFFIC COURT COMPLIES WITH THE AMERICANS WITH
DISABILITIES ACT, WHICH REQUIRES THAT ALL COURT SERVICES AND
FACILITIES ACCESSIBLE TO PERSONS WITHOUT DISABILITIES BE EQUALLY
ACCESSIBLE TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. IF YOU HAVE A DISABILITY AND
REQUIRE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS TO SCHEDULE A HEARING OR USE ANY
SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE PHILADELPHIA TRAFFIC COURT PLEASE CALL (215)
686-1667. REQUESTS FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS MUST BE MADE AT LEAST
THREE DAYS BEFORE DELIVERY OF SERVICE, OR SCHEDULED HEARING.
