I Received a Ticket - Now What?
Arraignment
Violation Arraignments If you have received a citation for a traffic or ordinance violation, one of the first things to do is check the court date and time on the citation, this is your arraignment date. The purpose of arraignment is to tell the court how you wish to proceed with your case. This is not a trial date, and the officer that cited you will not be present. Failure to enter a no contest or not guilty plea on or before your arraignment date can result in additional fines, fees, suspension of your driving privileges and being sent to collections.
Certain violations require a mandatory, in-person appearance before the judge. If your ticket indicates “Must Appear”, the court will not accept payment or a plea ahead of your arraignment date.
Criminal Arraignments If you were arrested or cited for a crime, you must appear on the date and time listed on your citation, or your release agreement. This appearance is in-person and mandatory. Setover request will not be granted for criminal arraignments. The court will not accept a plea or payment ahead of your arraignment date.
Entering a Plea
*High School Students Whether you intend to enter a no contest plea or request a trial, all high school students must appear in-person, and accompanied by a parent or guardian, for arraignment before the judge. Online payments, pleas, or letters of explanation will not be accepted in lieu of an appearance.
Option 1 Enter a plea of no contest before your arraignment date and pay or set up a payment plan for the amount of the presumptive fine stated on your citation. In this case, you would no longer need to appear personally on the date given on the citation.
Option 2 Enter a plea of no contest, mail or email a letter of explanation, and pay the presumptive fine amount. The judge will read and make a ruling based on the information you have provided. Your letter and payment must be received by your arraignment date in order to enter your plea. Failure to provide any of the requirements before the deadline will constitute a failure to appear.
Option 3 Enter a plea of not guilty and request a trial. Your plea and the required paperwork must be received by the court on or before your arraignment. You may plead not guilty and request a trial by clicking on this link: https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/formslf/trialrequest. Your trial will be set for a future date and time. Trials are in-person and scheduled on Wednesday mornings. You will receive a trial notice by mail and email approximately three (3) to four (4) weeks prior to your trial date.
Option 4 Enter a not guilty plea and request a Trial by Affidavit. This option is only available for defendants who live out of state, or more than 120 miles from Lake Oswego. Your signed plea and all required paperwork must be received by the court on or before your arraignment date. Your trial will be set for a future date and you will be notified of the ruling within 1 week.
Payment of Fines
Fine Amounts The presumptive fine amounts for traffic violations, as well as minimums and maximums are set by the state, not the court. Court staff can offer fine reductions, determine eligibility for deferred sentencing programs, and process correctable tickets. The fine schedule can be found here: https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/municipalcourt/municipal-court-fines.
Payment can be made with a VISA, Mastercard, or Discover online or by phone (503-635-0217). Check or money order may be mailed to our PO Box or dropped off in person. Please do not send cash via mail. The secure site for online payments and further instructions is located at: https://www.municipalonlinepayments.com/lakeoswegoor/court.
Failure to Appear
Failure to appear, enter a plea, or follow any order of the court, including an order to pay a fine, may result in a default judgment being entered against you, as well as a suspension of your driving privileges or having your account sent to a collection agency.
Pay Online