Pleading Not Guilty / Contesting Your Citation
Traffic Court Clerk’s Office Information
The clerk's offices in both branches are open Monday through Friday, excluding judicial holidays.
Public Counter Hours: 8:30am to 3:30pm
Telephone Hours: 8:30am to 3:30pm
Telephone Number: (707) 463-4660
Locations and mailing addresses:
Mendocino County Courthouse, 100 North State Street, Room 108, Ukiah CA 95482
Ten Mile Branch, 700 South Franklin Street, Fort Bragg CA 95437
Pay by Visa, Mastercard, or Discover using the Court’s Online Payments site. Search for your case by citation number, case number or your name and birthdate. Convenience fee automatically added.
Pleading Not Guilty and Appearing for Trial
You have the right to plead ‘not guilty’ and request a court trial before a judge. At this trial you may produce evidence and examine witnesses. You may complete webform below to request your court trial. Once you have entered your plea of not guilty, you will be given a court date and the court will send a notice to the citing officer to appear at your trial and present evidence as to why the officer cited you.
Not Guilty Plea and Request for Trial
You must enter your not guilty plea before the due date on your citation. Deposit of bail is not required to enter a plea of not guilty and request a court trial.
Once you have entered your plea of not guilty, you shall be deemed to have given a written promise to appear at the time designated by the court for trial. If you fail to appear at your trial, this may result in the trial going forward without you and you may be found guilty without being present, called "in absentia".
Pleading Not Guilty and Trial by Written Declaration
You may plead not guilty and elect to have a trial by written declaration instead of appearing in person for trial. You may request a trial by written declaration by completing and submitting forms and the full amount of the fine/bail on your courtesy notice on or before the due date shown on your citation.
Complete and submit these forms to the court:
TR-200 - Instructions to Defendant
TR-205 - Request for Trial by Written Declaration
Send in your completed forms and any witness statements or exhibits with the full fine/bail amount, and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. You will be notified by mail of the judge's decision.