Please note that the law enforcement officer will be present in court to submit their live testimony and a written explanation cannot anticipate the officer’s testimony and may not be your best option.  

While COVID-19 remains a public health threat, you can mitigate or contest your Infraction without coming to court through a process called adjudication by mail. Infractions are pre-payable offenses along the lines of expired inspection stickers, expired registrations and/or tags, defective equipment, stop sign/light violations, certain speeding charges, and any other charge that is not a misdemeanor. Reckless Driving, Driving without Being Licensed, Driving on a Revoked or Suspended License, Hit & Run, Eluding and Driving While Intoxicated charges are misdemeanors and cannot be adjudicated by mail. 

To adjudicate by mail, mail in your written statement or submit it by email to GDCMail@fairfaxcounty.gov in sufficient time to be received by the court THREE (3) BUSINESS DAYS before your court date. Your written statement will be attached to your ticket and reviewed by the judge on the court date.  The Court will consider this your proffered testimony in lieu of your presence in court. The judge will consider both the in-person testimony of the police officer and your written statement in arriving at a decision. The Court will then adjudicate and rule on the infraction. 

If you choose to participate in this fashion, you are responsible for finding out the court’s ruling and if any fines and costs are due. The best way to do this is to go to the Online Case Information System. You can search your name and/or case number to learn the result in your case. Please allow one business day after your court date for your case to be updated online.

Although misdemeanor traffic offenses cannot avail themselves of adjudication by mail, a continuance may be requested if you are you are sick or if you are in a High Risk Group and therefore susceptible to COVID-19. Please see the instructions above for requesting a continuance.

If you have questions, please call our Traffic Clerk’s office at 703-246-2815 during business hours to speak to a representative.