Hearings
How should I prepare for my hearing?
Bring evidence to the hearing to support your case. Evidence might include:
- Photographs
- Diagrams/pictures
- Witnesses
- Receipts
Please bring a legible copy or the original document you intend to use as evidence. If your defense is that your vehicle or tags were stolen, you should provide a copy of the official police report. All evidence presented must remain on file with the hearing record.
What happens at in-person hearing?
Adjudication Services holds hearings on parking, photo enforcement
and traffic violations. Parking tickets can be contested at
a walk-in hearing. Traffic and photo enforcement
tickets are decided at a scheduled hearing. You may represent yourself
or an attorney may appear on your behalf by
completing the Attorney Appearance Form**. The format
of the hearing will vary depending on the type of ticket presented.
You can expect at every hearing that:
- A hearing examiner will conduct the hearing and is legally empowered
to make binding decisions.
- All hearings are recorded.
- The examiner will ask you to state your name and address and
to swear or affirm that your testimony is true.
- The examiner will read the ticket information for the record,
including the violation noted on the ticket, known as the "government's
charge".
- The evidence* will be presented to the hearing examiner.
- The hearing examiner will make a decision based on all of the
testimony, evidence presented and District of Columbia statutes and/or
municipal regulations.
- If the ticket is dismissed, you do not have to pay the fine.
- If you are found liable for the ticket, you must pay the fine
immediately.
- You have the right to file an appeal on the examiners' decision
within 15 calendar days of the decision. If the Traffic
Adjudication Appeals Board reverses the decision, all fines, penalties, and fees
will be refunded.
*The evidence presented will vary by ticket type as follows:
- At a hearing on a photo
enforcement ticket, the hearing examiner will show you the evidence
submitted by the Metropolitan Police Department in support of the
ticket.
- At a hearing on a minor moving violation, the officer must offer testimony concerning the
violation. You have the opportunity to make a statement, cross-examine the officer and
submit any evidence relevant to the violation.
District of Columbia law provides that parking tickets are considered prima facie evidence of
a violation. Please refer to the defenses.
** These documents are presented in Portable Document Format (PDF). A PDF reader is required for viewing.
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