Where do I pay a traffic ticket?
All traffic court cases are initially heard at the Easley Municipal Court located at 220 North West Main Street which is the Easley Law Enforcement Center. If you have lost or misplaced your ticket, you should contact Easley Municipal Court for assistance. If a ticket was issued by Deputy Sheriff with the Pickens County Sheriff's Office or an officer of a municipality within Pickens County, instructions telling you in which court you must appear are on the copy of the ticket you received. Summary Court Administration does not have access to Municipal Court records.
Therefore, please contact the appropriate Municipal Court if your ticket was written by the Sheriff's Office or police department of a local municipality.
Do I have to come to court of a traffic offense?
If you were given a court date and time, you will need to either: Appear and plea or ask for a continuance/jury trial or pay the ticket (if applicable) prior to court.
Some traffic offenses such as DUI, DUS have a mandatory court appearance.
If you do not appear, you are subject to having your driver's license suspended in the case of traffic charges.
Can I pay my ticket and still appear to plead not guilty?
Payment indicates a guilty plea and forfeiture of fine monies. Appearing on your court date gives you a chance to ask for a reduction in fines or plead not guilty.
What is the procedure for entering a plea to a traffic offense?
There are 4 possible pleas to a traffic: Forfeiture, Not Guilty, Guilty and No Contest. In a Not Guilty plea, you deny guilt and the City must prove the traffic offense against you. In a Guilty plea, you admit you committed the act(s) charged, that the acts are prohibited by law, and that you have no legal defense for such acts. in a Forfeiture, by paying the fine in advance of your court date (when applicable) you admit you committed the traffic offense and that you have no legal defense for such acts. In a No Contest (or nolo contendere) plea, you neither admit guilt nor deny it.
A No Contest plea does appear on a traffic record as a conviction.
Can the Judge reduce or eliminate the points on my traffic ticket?
No. Points are set by the South Carolina State Legislature. Under Title 56, Section 05-0720 offenses which carry points are listed. You may review this statute by clicking here. An officer may have already reduced a potential point violation to a lesser included offense on the roadside, i.e., Speeding more that 10 MPH which is a 4 point violation to Speeding less than 10 MPH which is a 2 point violation. Only the prosecutor (police officer) has the descretion to amend the charge to a lesser included offense which could reduce the points applied to your driving record.
I have a 4 point violation on my driving record. Is there anything I can do to get the points removed?
Yes. Persons who plead guilty, forfeit bond or plead no contest to a 4 point or less traffic violation may attend a Defensive Driving Course approved by the South Carolina Department of Highways and Public Transportation. These courses are offered at Greenville Technical College , Tri-County Technical College or virtually. Once the course has been successfully completed, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety will be notified and up to 4 points will be removed from your driving record. You may participate in this course once every three (3) years. For more information, click on the links above.
What happens if I miss my court date for a traffic ticket?
If you did not appear for court and did not contact the officer prior to court, your case may have been heard and the judge may have found you guilty in your absence. If you were found guilty, you will need to pay the fine within 15 days of your court date or the process to suspend your driver's license will begin.
If your driver's license is suspended for failing to pay a traffic ticket, you will be required to pay the fines at Easley Municipal Court and a re-instatement fee at the South Carolina Highway Department for the suspension to be cleared.
Can I appear earlier than my trial date and time a speak with the Judge?
You must appear on your designated court date and time. Judges do not talk about pending cases without all parties present. You may contact the officer for a continuance after the initial court date if you are unable to appear.
My child (age 16 or older) received a traffic ticket. Does [s]he need to appear in court?
In most cases, the ticket may be paid without an appearance, however, there are traffic charges that do require an appearance for traffic violations, regardless of age. If you have any questions regarding required appearances for traffic charges, call 864-855-7915.
Can I plead guilty to a traffic offense over the phone?
No you either need to appear on your court date and time or pay the fine (forfeiture) prior to your court date.
