Connecticut offers online adjudication of traffic infractions

Did you know that the State of Connecticut offers online adjudication of traffic infractions and payable violations? This service is a recent addition by the Judicial Branch’s Centralized Infractions Bureau, which can save both individuals and motor carriers time while either admitting or contesting traffic violations.

With the advent of this service, an on-line process is now voluntarily available so that a court appearance or two is not absolutely necessary.  If there is an infraction or payable violation issued, the company or driver (the accused) can log in to the judicial system’s website.

Upon logging in, if choosing to plead guilty, payment can be submitted online via credit card. To plead not guilty, the accused can submit online, evidence and/or explanation in support of the not guilty plea, which will be reviewed by the state’s attorney (prosecutor). After review, the prosecutor can require a court appearance, substitute the charge, reduce the fine, or even “nolle” the case, and the accused will be notified of the decision electronically. (When a case is “nolled,” it means the state chooses not to prosecute them but reserves the right to re-open the case and prosecute it within 13 months. That will usually only happen if additional, prosecutable charges are committed at a separate time.) If the accused accepts an offer for which payment is required, payment by credit card online is available.

The online process has proven to save time for everyone. Adjudication time has been cut way down, which is a positive thing. It should be noted that at any time during the process, the accused can choose to stop using the online system, and can physically go to court to have the case further adjudicated.

MTAC sees no downside of using the online adjudication system. The best-case scenario is a somewhat favorable or fully favorable outcome that saves time because it was done online. The worst-case scenario is the accused decides, at any point, that online adjudication is not for them, and they can decide to physically go to court for the remainder of the adjudication process.

Finally, the State’s Judicial Branch has a very informative website on this issue.