TRAFFIC COURT INFORMATION
The Etowah County Circuit Clerk’s Office is responsible for processing traffic citations that have been issued by an Alabama State Trooper or Etowah County Sheriff’s Department. Your court date, time and location to appear before the District Court of Etowah County, AL is located at the bottom of your Alabama Uniform Traffic Ticket and Complaint. The scheduled court date listed on your copy of the traffic citation/ticket is a TRIAL DATE and you will not receive any further notice from the court. Court dates can only be postponed in extreme emergencies and must be ordered by the Judge. Note: Court costs are assessed on most traffic tickets whether you appear in court personally, mail a money order, or pay your citation/ticket online.
*AT THIS TIME, VIRTUAL HEARINGS AND VIRTUAL TRIALS ARE NOT BEING HELD*
Certain traffic offenses, if applicable, may allow you to resolve your ticket without the need to appear in court. On a computer or smart device, you may visit the statewide Alabama Traffic Service Center website at https://traffic.alacourt.gov or if you need to speak someone, you may call the toll-free number at 1-866-954-9399. The On-Line Traffic Resolution System (OTR) will allow you to check the website to see if your ticket qualifies for this service at https://resolve.alacourt.gov. You may visit the (OTR) website at the Traffic Service Center website or visit https://resolve.alacourt.gov to inquire if your ticket qualifies for this service. Not all tickets are able to be RESOLVED before the court date on the ticket. Some traffic offenses REQUIRE a court appearance before a Judge. If your ticket qualifies for (OTR) and you have chosen to enter a guilty plea and pay the court ordered fine and court costs by using a debit/credit card, you can resolve your ticket quickly. You also have an option to pay by credit/debit card using the toll-free number at 1-877-252-7294. (Note: Credit card payments will not be accepted after your scheduled court date)
For additional information on how to resolve your ticket, you can visit the (OTR) On-Line Traffic Resolution website at https://resolve.alacourt.gov which provides you with several options on how to resolve a traffic ticket before your scheduled court date.
If you wish to avoid a court appearance and don’t have access to the internet, you may enter a plea of guilt by signing the back of the traffic ticket and sending it by mail with a money order or cashier’s check to the following address listed below. Please provide a self-addressed stamped envelope if you are requesting a receipt to be mailed back to you. (Personal Checks are not accepted)
*MAILING ADDRESS*
Etowah County Circuit Clerk’s Office
Attn: Traffic Division – Etowah County Judicial Building
801 Forrest Avenue, Suite 202
Gadsden, AL 35901
For an in-person payment at the Circuit Clerk’s Office location, we can accept cash or debit/credit cards (however, we cannot accept debit/credit cards that have another person’s name listed on the card unless that person has proper ID with them and is with you at the time you are making your payment).
After visiting the above websites and you remain unable to resolve your traffic ticket, you may contact the District Court Traffic Division of the Circuit Clerk’s Office at (256) 439-6045 for additional assistance (prior to your scheduled court date).
IMPORTANT: If you fail to appear on your scheduled court date or have failed to resolve your traffic ticket prior to your court date, a WARRANT may be issued for your arrest and your Driver’s License may be SUSPENDED by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency which will incur additional court costs on your case and re-instatement fees on your driver’s license.
The option of applying for Defensive Driving School requires an in-person appearance on your court date before the Judge. You are not permitted to call the Judge’s Office or apply online. Online Defensive Driving School courses are not permitted by this court and CDL license holders do not qualify for Defensive Driving School.
- PROCESSING OF NO-INSURANCE TICKETS
You are not required to appear in court on your court date if you have proof of liability insurance covering the vehicle that was being driven by you at the time the ticket was issued AND you conclude this matter with the Circuit Clerk’s Office or visit the (OTR) (Online Traffic Resolution) website at https://resolve.alacourt.gov (before your court date) in the manner described below.
For an out-of-court disposition of the ticket, you may upload valid proof of insurance coverage by using the OTR (Online Traffic Resolution) website. Please include a copy of your ticket or write the ticket number located in the upper right-hand corner of the citation/ticket on your documentation. You may choose to visit the Etowah County Circuit Clerk’s office in-person and bring a paper copy of valid proof of insurance coverage on the vehicle you were driving or submit your documentation of valid proof of insurance by mail to the Circuit Clerk’s Office (see mailing address listed above). When documentation has been received and determined proper by the court, the ticket may be dismissed upon payment of court costs prior to your scheduled court date.
If the vehicle you were driving DID NOT have any insurance coverage at the time the citation/ticket was issued and liability insurance has been obtained (before your court date), you have the same options as stated above for submitting valid proof of insurance coverage or you may visit the (OTR) website at (https://resolve.alacourt.gov) to submit your valid proof of insurance coverage. You must enter a guilty plea and submit payment of court costs in the amount of $163.00. If documentation of valid insurance coverage is not provided before the scheduled court date, you must appear in court on your court date with your valid proof of insurance coverage documentation in paper form.
PROCESSING OF EXPIRED LICENSE OR DRIVER’S LICENSE NOT IN POSSESSION TICKETS
A copy of your valid Driver’s License may be uploaded through the (OTR) Online Traffic Resolution website at (https://resolve.alacourt.gov) or presented in-person at the Circuit Clerk’s Office. (Payment of Fine and Court Costs is available online)
IMPROPER EQUIPMENT (Lights – Tires – Tinted Windows)
All equipment failures should be corrected prior to your scheduled court date and the vehicle you were driving brought to the Etowah County Judicial Building for inspection and approval by either court personnel or a certified active law enforcement officer. (A Law Enforcement Officer must provide their full name, agency name and badge number). You are required to provide a copy of your receipt(s) reflecting the purchase or repair(s) of lights, tires or legal window tint expenses. (Payment of Fine and Court Costs is available on line)