By Jacquelyn Springgay
Those who receive a traffic ticket may not have to go to court after all.
Two years ago, Utah began a new program to help reduce the amount of traffic cases judges were hearing.
Now, instead of a judge, a traffic referee can reduce a traffic fine, or dismiss the fine altogether. There are three traffic referees in Provo, and they see on average 30 to 35 people per day.
'It is nice to have the traffic referees because they have the authority to reduce fines and work with a person on a ticket,' said Eileen Jemison, chief deputy clerk at the 4th District Court in Provo. 'It saves a lot of time rather than having to go to court.'
A traffic referee follows guidelines that the judges set, such as what cases they are allowed to hear and who can be sent to traffic school. In some cases, only a judge can decide the punishment.
A mandatory court appearance is required for tickets for driving 31 mph or more over the speed limit, exhibition driving, a racing/speed contest, driving 20 mph or more over the speed limit in a school zone, or driving 31 mph or more over the speed limit in a construction zone.
When people see a traffic referee, they have three options: they can contest the ticket with the judge, go to traffic school or try to get a discount on the fine. People decide for themselves what to do.
'We don''t give any legal advice,' said Claudia Bushman, a traffic referee at the Provo courthouse. 'We are neutral parties. They get to choose the option that is best for them.'
Those who choose to see the judge will get a trial date from the traffic referee. Choosing to go to traffic school means paying for the school, but avoiding points on a driver''s license.
'People almost always go to traffic school,' said Meredith Williams, a former traffic referee in Provo city.
A person may attend traffic school twice in a 12-month period.
Prices for traffic school vary depending on the fine. For example, a person who gets a speeding ticket for going nine mph over the speed limit must pay $22 to court and $60 to go to traffic school.
A person who decides to go to traffic school will fill out a plea of abeyance form, telling the court that they will attend traffic school to have the ticket dismissed. If a person decides to reduce the fine or to pay the ticket, there are payment plans available.
To get a reduced ticket fine, there needs to be proof that the ticket has been taken care of in another way. For example, a person could get a ticket for driving without insurance. If in reality that person did have insurance, there needs to be proof of the insurance so the ticket can be dismissed.
If a person didn''t have insurance but got insurance after the ticket was issued, the fine can be reduced by $100. If the insurance is kept for six months, another $100 is deducted from the ticket.
If you get a ticket on campus you cannot see a traffic referee at the courthouse. Instead:
* Write your name, BYU ID, and Social Security number or driver''s license on the citation.
* Send the citation in the mail with check or money order, or go to the traffic office in person and pay with cash, check or BYU signature card, or pay it over the phone with a credit card.
* You may also appeal the citation as long as the request for the appeal is made in 14 days.