What to Do After Receiving a Citation

Traffic or Police Citations

If you have received a traffic or ordinance citation and don’t want to contest the violation, you have the option to pay the fine before the court date listed on the citation. Make payment to the Minnehaha County Clerk of Courts.

Alternately, you must appear in court on the specified date and plead “guilty” or “not guilty”. With a “guilty” plea, the judge will offer an opportunity to make a statement before immediately issuing a fine. If you plead “not guilty”, you will receive dates for a depositional conference and court trial.

During the conference, you will discuss your case with an assistant city attorney to explore reaching a resolution without going to trial. Failure to appear at trial may result in arrest. A parent or legal guardian must go with a juvenile to any court appearance.

Other Citations

Citations issued for a violation of Health, Zoning, Building, Fire, and Property Maintenance codes are paid to the City. These can be paid online in the City's Customer Self-Service platform (CSS) or in person at City Center, City Hall or the Health Department.