The Circuit Clerk Criminal/Traffic Division handles traffic, ordinance, conservation, DUI & misdemeanor complaints filed in McHenry County. The Circuit Clerk Criminal/Traffic Division is located in Room 136 on the 1st floor of the McHenry County Government Center. Payments are accepted for all Criminal & Traffic Division cases at this location. You can also pay your "no court appearance required" ticket over the phone or online.  There are 3 public viewing stations at this location where public court information can be searched & viewed.

 

Pay Your Traffic Ticket by Phone at:  
1-800-PAY-TICS (1-800-729-8427)

 

Pay Your Traffic Ticket Online at:

Click Here to pay your Traffic ticket Online by credit card!

To pay your traffic ticket by mail, complete the form given to you by the officer and mail your payment to: 

      McHenry County Circuit Clerk

      Attn:  Traffic Division - Room 136

      2200 N. Seminary Avenue

      Woodstock, IL 60098

If you no longer have the form given to you by the officer, click on the link below.

Traffic Officer Handout (Pay by mail form)

Traffic Court Schedules - Courtrooms 102, 103 and McHenry Branch Court

PLEADING NOT GUILTY

Per Illinois Supreme Court Rule 505, you should follow the instructions on the back of your ticket if you intend to plead "not guilty" to the charge.

Avoid Multiple Court Appearances
If you intend to plead "not guilty" to this charge, or if, in addition, you intend to demand a trial by jury, so notify the clerk of the court at least 10 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays or holidays) before the date set for your appearance. A new appearance date will be set, and arrangements will be made to have the arresting officer present on that new date. Failure to notify the clerk of either your intention to plead "not guilty" or your intention to demand a jury trial may result in your having to return to court, if you plead "not guilty" on the date originally set for your court appearance.

Mail or bring the blue copy of your ticket to the Circuit Clerk’s office BEFORE the court date listed on the bottom of your ticket. DO NOT APPEAR IN COURT on the date listed on your ticket. A new trial date will be mailed to you. If you appear in court on the date listed at the bottom of your ticket, you may still plead "not guilty" before the Judge, but your trial will not be heard that day. A new trial date will be scheduled.

JURY FEES

To request a jury trial on a charge written under a local ordinance, there is a $137.50 jury fee which is payable upon the filing of the jury demand.  A jury trial will not be scheduled without the payment of the jury fee. 

TRAFFIC SCHOOL - Phone:  (815) 479-7777

If your ticket is marked:  NO COURT APPEARANCE REQUIRED and you have not attended Traffic Safety School in the past 12 months, you may be eligible to receive Court Supervision through the mail by attending Traffic Safety School.  Follow the directions in Option B (AVOID CONVICTION ON YOUR DRIVING RECORD) on the handout that the officer gave you with your ticket.  If you no longer have the officer handout, plase use this Traffic Officer Handout (pay by mail form).

McHenry County College offers court-approved Traffic School classes for individuals ordered or choosing to attend a Traffic Safety School course.  If you received your ticket in McHenry County, once you register for Traffic Safety School with the Circuit Clerk's Office, McHenry County College will contact you within a few weeks with your class date and time.  If you would like to register to attend McHenry County College's Traffic Safety School for a ticket not received in McHenry County, or for self-enrichment, please use this Out of County Registration Form.

ONLINE TRAFFIC SCHOOL

Effective December 1, 2008, online Traffic School is now available for anyone sentenced to attend 4-hour Traffic School.  The cost for the online version of Traffic School is $50.00, rather than the $35.00 fee for classroom Traffic School.

More Traffic School Information

NO INSURANCE - FAILURE TO CARRY PROOF OF INSURANCE
If you were charged with Failure to Carry Proof of Insurance, and you did have valid insurance on the date of your ticket, you may appear at the McHenry County Government Center, Traffic Division (Room 136) up to 3 days prior to your court date. You will be required to present VALID PROOF OF INSURANCE FOR THE TICKET DATE AND SIGN A SWORN MANDATORY INSURANCE AFFIDAVIT. The following is a list of what will be accepted as proof of valid insurance:

• An ORIGINAL insurance card that was valid at the time the ticket was issued, OR
• An ORIGINAL letter from your insurance company, on company letterhead, that clearly states that the insurance was valid at the time of the ticket. It must include the date the policy started and the date it ends. It also must include the make, model and VIN number of the car in question.

ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE ORIGINALS. The Circuit Clerk’s Office will not accept any copies or faxes. We will not dismiss Failure to Carry Proof of Insurance tickets written for vehicles that are fleet insured. Defendants with fleet insurance must appear in court. Once proof of insurance has been confirmed, no court appearance required companion tickets may be processed without going to court.

The Circuit Clerk’s Office reserves the right to refuse to dismiss a Failure to Carry Proof of Insurance ticket administratively and require the Defendant to appear in court.

Mandatory Insurance Affidavit

APPEARING IN TRAFFIC COURT

If you are required, or wish to appear in court for your ticket, you should carefully check the bottom of the ticket for the date, time and location you are scheduled to appear. If you cannot read the date and/or time, please call the Traffic Division at (815) 334-4190 to confirm when and where you are scheduled. When you arrive at the Government Center, find your name on the Court Monitors to check your courtroom assignment. The Court Monitors are located to the right of the metal detectors at the front doors of the Government Center. These monitors alphabetically list all parties scheduled to appear in court that day. Once you find your name, your scheduled courtroom will be listed next to it.

You should arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled start time for court (8:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.) and check in with the court clerks seated at the front of the courtroom. If you are late, have a seat in the courtroom and check in with the clerks when the Judge takes a recess. If you plead guilty or are found guilty, PAYMENT OF YOUR FINES AND FEES IS DUE IN FULL THAT DAY. If you cannot pay your fines and fees in full on the day of sentencing, you will be required to meet with the Circuit Clerk’s Financial Compliance Division to set up a payment plan for completing your sentence. Per Illinois Supreme Court Rule 555, your driver’s license or bond card will NOT be returned to you until your fines and fees are paid in full.

Please be aware that court costs are very expensive.  If you are found guilty in court, the judge will set your fine, but your court costs are determined by state law and the McHenry County Board.  Neither the Judge nor the Circuit Clerk's office has any control over the amount of court costs. 

FINANCIAL COMPLIANCE PROGRAM

The McHenry County Circuit Clerk’s Office, in cooperation with the Court and McHenry County State’s Attorney, implemented a Financial Compliance Program in January of 1996. The purpose of this program is to enforce the orders of the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court. The Court's policy is that fines and fees are due in FULL on the day of sentencing.

• Your driver’s license or bond card will NOT be returned until your fines & fees are paid in full
• You will NOT be allowed to enroll in Traffic School until your fines & fees and paid in full
• You will NOT successfully complete supervision until your fines & fees are paid in full

If a defendant cannot pay their fines and fees in full on the day of sentencing, they must meet with the Financial Compliance Division. The Financial Compliance Division is located in the Traffic Office, near the payment windows outside Room 136. Defendants who cannot pay in full must agree to follow a payment plan. The Court requires that a payment be made every 30 days. If you are sentenced to attend Traffic Safety School, you must pay your fines and fees in full within 30 days. You cannot enroll in Traffic Safety School until your fines and fees are paid in full.

If you set up an installment payment plan, you will be given envelopes to mail your payments to the Circuit Clerk’s Office. Please include name and case number on all checks sent to the Circuit Clerk’s office for installment payments. Your case number is located on the agreement you signed with the Financial Compliance Division. Bring or mail your payments to:

McHenry County Circuit Clerk
Attention: Traffic Division
2200 N. Seminary Ave., Room 136
Woodstock, IL 60098-2637

The Circuit Clerk’s Office also provides a 24-hour drop box at the Russel Court entrance to the McHenry County Government Center. Payments are picked up from the drop box every morning. Please do NOT put cash in the drop box.

The Financial Compliance Division monitors payments and sends notices to defendants when payments are not made. If a defendant fails to keep to the agreed payment plan, they will be re-scheduled to appear before the Judge. If a Judge finds a defendant who has failed to make payment in contempt of court, a warrant can be issued for their arrest.

EXPUNGE/SEAL A CRIMINAL CASE
People with qualifying arrests and convictions may petition the Court of their sentencing county for an expungement or sealing of their records.  The office of the Illinois State Appellate Defender provides information to the public about how to expunge/seal a criminal case. More Information