Traffic Cases

The Victim Impact Panel (VIP) is a program for offenders of Driving Under the Influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI).  If you are convicted of a DUI in Jackson County, the judge will order you to attend a session.   

The panels are a non-confrontational presentation given by victims of DUI crashes who speak about the impact the DUI crash has had on their lives, presenting an often unheard perspective to DUI offenders.  The goal is that offenders will benefit from learning first-hand about the trauma, physical pain, emotional suffering and devastation, financial loss, anger, and frustration that DUI victims and family members commonly experience.

At the end of the panel, attendees are given a certificate to be taken to their Probation Officer or Attorney to verify their attendance. 

It is also acceptable for a person charged with a DUI to attend the VIP prior to being sentenced.  In this case, the Certificate may be given to the judge at sentencing. 

For a schedule of panel dates, call the Jackson County Circuit Clerk at 618-687-7300 or speak with your Probation Officer.  A VIP may also be completed online.  If the option for an online class is chosen, it is important to verify that the program is approved for Jackson County, Illinois. 

Victim Impact Panels are available online by visiting https://online.maddvip.org/. Online Victim Impact Panels require a fee of $65 (non-refundable). The online VIP is mobile friendly and takes approximately 2 hours to complete.

Answer:  If you were ticketed for Operating Uninsured Motor Vehicle, No Valid Registration, or No Valid Driver’s License, but had valid insurance, registration, or driver’s license on the date of the citation, you must appear on your court date and bring the necessary proof OR bring a copy of your ticket(s) along with proof of valid insurance, registration, or driver’s license to the State’s Attorney’s Office no later than one week prior to court appearance.  Your insurance agent/company will be contacted to verify that the insurance was in effect at the time of your citation. 

In order to avoid a court appearance, you must provide proof that your insurance, driver’s license, or registration was valid at the time of the arrest to the State’s Attorney’s Office no later than one week prior to your court appearance.  You may provide this information, along with a copy of your traffic citation, by:  personally delivering to the State’s Attorney’s Office or faxing 618-687-7215.

DO NOT ASSUME THAT YOUR TICKET WAS DISMISSED.  Always follow-up before your scheduled court date to verify that your case was dismissed.

If you do not send proof of compliance one week prior to your court date, you may still be eligible for dismissal.  However, you must appear in court and bring the required proof.  It is recommended that you arrive 30 minutes early.

Answer: Court dates and case status information may be obtained by the Circuit Clerk’s office, located on the first floor of the courthouse, phone at 618-687-7300, or visit www.judici.com.

Answer: Some traffic tickets do not require a court appearance.  Take a careful look at the bottom of your ticket to determine whether you need to appear in court at all.  Many minor traffic tickets may be marked “No court appearance required.” However, if your ticket is marked “Court appearance required,” you must appear on the date and time indicated on your ticket. 

Sample citation, click here.

Answer: If your ticket is marked “No court appearance required,” you may pay your ticket at the Circuit Clerk’s office, on the first floor of the courthouse.  The Jackson County Circuit Clerk will be able to tell you the amount of the fine and provide instructions for payment methods. 

However, if your ticket is marked “Court appearance required,” you must appear on the date and time indicated on your ticket.

Sample citation, click here.

Answer:  Court supervision is a way to keep a traffic ticket off your record.  The Secretary of State’s Office defines eligibility for court supervision based on factors such as the age of the driver, type of the offense, and driving history.  If you are eligible for court supervision, you must pay a fine and obtain agreement from the court.

Jackson County offers two options for court supervision on petty tickets: 

General Court Supervision: If you are eligible for court supervision on a petty or non-moving violation, you may obtain court supervision by completing the Jackson County Court Supervision Agreement and delivering the signed agreement along with the appropriate fine to the Jackson County Circuit Clerk at least 7 days prior to your court date. You may obtain the form and terms for your case from the Circuit Clerk’s office. This is known as “Over-the-Counter” Court Supervision. For most moving violations, the fine is $251 and the supervision period lasts for 90 days. However, if you wait until your court date and appear before the Judge to request Court Supervision, the fine becomes $350 and the supervision is still 90 days. Exceptions do apply to these offers however, it is important that you contact the traffic Assistant State’s Attorney to receive your offer. For insurance tickets you must contact the traffic Assistant State’s Attorney to receive your offer, if you had valid insurance on the date of your ticket your case will be dismissed upon verification.

Driver’s Safety Course:  If you are eligible for court supervision on a speeding ticket or other moving violation, you may obtain court supervision by completing a Driver’s Safety Course and paying a fine. Driver’s Safety Course Application Forms are available at the Circuit Clerk’s office. You must complete the Driver’s Safety Course Application and deliver the signed agreement along with the appropriate payment to the Jackson County Circuit Clerk at least ten days prior to your court date. Driver’s Safety Course is mandatory for those with tickets that are under the age of 21. The Driver’s Safety Course is $25, which must be paid at the time of plea in order to receive the course. For Over-the-Counter supervision, the cost is $276 ($251 +$25 course fee) and the supervision period is for 120 days. If you choose to appear in court, the cost becomes $300 ($275 total fines and costs + $25 course fee). The Circuit Clerk’s Office can provide more detail concerning the amount of fine and procedure requirements. This option is not available for insurance tickets or other business offenses.

Answer: Trying to resolve a traffic ticket can be confusing and stressful, especially for those who are unfamiliar with the court system.  Many people choose to have an attorney represent them to help explain the procedure and make sure their case(s) are resolved fairly.  However, the decision to hire an attorney is entirely your own. 

You may have the right to have an attorney appointed by the Court to represent you if you cannot afford one on your own, depending on the type of offense charged.  The judge will explain your rights to you when you make your first court appearance. 

Answer: Attorneys from the State’s Attorney’s Office are responsible for the prosecution of the traffic tickets issued in Jackson County.  Because their duty is to represent the People of the State of Illinois, they are legally prohibited from giving legal advice to people charged with crimes, including minor traffic offenses.  In addition, the attorneys in the State’s Attorney office are prosecuting your case, and anything you tell them could be used against you in court. Your best option is to consult your own attorney.

Answer: Your driver’s license status is decided entirely by the Secretary of State.  The State’s Attorney’s Office has no involvement in issuing or suspending driver’s license.  For questions regarding your driver’s license, contact the Secretary of State’s Office at 800-252-8980.  The local office is located at 2516 W. Murphysboro Road, Carbondale, IL 62901, phone: 618-457-0488. Website: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/.

Answer: Court dates are set by the judge who presides over traffic court.  The State’s Attorney cannot change your court date.  In order to request a new court date, you must file a Motion to Continue with the Circuit Clerk and have the judge grant the motion prior to your scheduled court date. 

Answer: It is important to be present and on time at all required court dates.  If you fail to appear, several things could happen:

• In a minor traffic case, the judge could enter a judgment against you, just as if you had pleaded guilty.  You are then responsible for paying the fines assessed.

• If you are charged with a misdemeanor or felony, and you fail to make your court appearance, the judge may issue a warrant for your arrest.  Any bond you previously posted could be forfeited. 

Answer: If you wish to ask the court to vacate (or undo) a judgment against you, or quash (take back) an arrest warrant, you must file a motion with the court.  There may be a fee for this motion, and there is no guarantee that the court will grant your motion.  For more information, contact the Circuit Clerk’s office, located on the first floor of the courthouse, or by phone at 618-687-7300.

Website: http://www.circuitclerk.co.jackson.il.us/