Woodway Violations Bureau

23920 113th Place W.
Woodway, WA 98020
206.542.4443 phone
206.546.9453 fax

The Traffic Violations Bureau processes all citations received in the Town of Woodway.

Woodway contracts for judicial services through Snohomish County District Court, South Division, located near Edmonds Community College at 20520 – 68th Avenue W., Lynnwood WA 98036. Phone: 425.774.8803, Fax: 425.744.6820.

What Must I Do if I Receive an Infraction?

Start by reading the entire back side of your notice of infraction (ticket) . You must respond within 15 days of the date that the ticket was issued. An infraction is not a crime, but failure to respond can result in the suspension of your drivers license. You can respond by either mailing the green ticket or bringing it in person to the Woodway Violations Bureau at Woodway Town Hall. Select one of the boxes on the back of the ticket and verify your address.

You have 15 days from the date of the ticket to respond in one of 3 ways.

1. Pay the fine.
2. Request a mitigation hearing.
3. Request a contested hearing.

If you lose your green copy of your infraction, you may download an Infraction Response/Request for Hearing form from our website (www.townofwoodway.com), sign it, and return it to the Woodway Violations Bureau at Woodway Town Hall.

It may take up to a month from the time you mail your request to receive a response from the court with a hearing date.

How Do I Pay My Fine?

Select the top box on the back of the infraction; you are electing to pay the amount of the penalty shown on the front of the ticket.

We accept the following methods of payment:
*CASH
*CHECK (Include citation number)
*CASHIERS CHECK/MONEY ORDER (Include citation number)

What Is a Mitigation Hearing?

A mitigation hearing is held when you admit that you committed the violation but wish to explain the circumstances. The court is required to forward all committed traffic citations to the Department of Licensing and it will appear on your driving record.

What Is a Contested Hearing?

A contested hearing is held when you believe you did not commit the violation. At the hearing, the state must prove by a preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not) that you committed the infraction. You may require (subpoena) witnesses, including the officer who wrote the ticket, to attend the hearing. Please include your request for subpoena when you return your green copy of your infraction. You may also request a subpoena information packet from the South Division by mail or fax. In the event that you have requested witnesses, you may be required to pay court costs. If you have a contested hearing and lose and “traffic” is checked on the front of the citation, this infraction will go on your driving record.

What if I Cannot Come to Court for a Hearing?

Submit your request for a hearing, either contested or mitigation. When you receive your notice of court date, you will also receive a form to respond by mail. Fill out the response form and mail it to the court at least five days before your court date. At the time appointed for your hearing, your response will be read and the judge will rule. You will receive notification of the outcome by mail, including any fines owed.

What Happens if I Cannot Appear on my Assigned Court Date?

The court gives ample notice for you to make arrangements to appear for your hearing. If you are unable to appear on the date of the hearing the court allows ONE continuance. At least five days ahead of the scheduled hearing, you may request a continuance by mail, fax, or by appearing at the court clerk's office to sign a waiver of speedy hearing. Failure to follow this procedure will result in the waiver of your right to a hearing, a committed finding entered and a failure to appear penalty assessed. If you have hired a lawyer to represent you at a contested hearing you are still required to appear and failure to do so will result in a committed finding being entered and a failure to appear penalty assessed.

Who Qualifies For a Deferred Sentence?

A deferred sentence may be an option if you have not had a deferral in the last seven years. You may request either type of hearing to ask for a deferred sentence. Your driving record will be taken into account, and it is solely the judge's decision to defer the sentence.

Will a Traffic Infraction Appear on My Driving Record?

The infraction will go on your Department of Licensing driving abstract if you pay the penalty, mitigate, or if the judge finds that you committed the infraction in a contested hearing. Neither the judge nor the court clerk has the authority to keep the infraction off your record.

What About an Insurance Ticket?

If you receive a citation for no proof of liability insurance and you actually had insurance in force at the time, you may file the proof of insurance with the Woodway Violations Bureau, pay a $25.00 administrative fee, and this charge will be dismissed. If there is another charge on the citation, this must be dealt with separately.

What if I Do Not Pay My Ticket or Appear For a Hearing?

A failure to pay or respond to the ticket within 15 days results in an order that the infraction was committed, a penalty will be added to the fine, and the information will be forwarded to the Department of Licensing immediately. If you asked for a hearing and do not appear, a penalty will be assessed and a committed finding will be entered. When an infraction is not paid in a timely manner or a hearing is missed, a late penalty is added to the amount shown on the ticket. Your license may then be suspended if the penalty is not paid following a notice to pay the increased penalty and the account may be assigned to a collection agency.

What if I Need an Interpreter?

Foreign language interpreters can be requested to be present at your hearing. Please fill in which language you speak in the space on bottom of the back of the green copy of the infraction to request an interpreter.