Municipal Court FAQ’s
Yamhill Municipal Court provides a local forum for the resolution of minor traffic infractions and City Ordinance violations. The Municipal Court is the judicial branch of the City Government. Municipal Court Judge Terry Mahr oversees the Court’s operations. The majority of cases heard in Municipal Court are traffic violations.
The Court Clerks are available Monday through Thursday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. The office is closed for major holidays. The Court does not require a personal appearance for traffic violations. The Court has in place a Violation’s Bureau which has the authority to take a plea on a traffic violation case and assess a fine, based on a schedule set by the State. The Court may also, if certain criteria are met, allow Traffic School.
How do I handle violations through the Violations Bureau?
If you will be entering a plea of guilty or no contest, you can appear before the Court Clerk and either pay the fine in full or sign a payment agreement. You may also do this by mail, following the instructions on the reverse side of the citation. The email for the Court Clerk is: court@cityofyamhill.org
You may make arrangements by calling the office at (503) 662-3511, and the Violations Bureau can assess the fine amount or determine if you qualify for Traffic School.
You may handle the citation by appearing in Court at the time set for arraignment on the front of your citation.
You may enter a plea of Not Guilty in writing and have the case set for a trial. Before this option, please call the office to receive more information.
If your citation was for “No Insurance” or “Failure to Carry Proof of Insurance”, and you have proof that you were insured for the vehicle on the date of the ticket, provide proof to the Court Clerk prior to your court date and that charge may be dismissed. Be sure the proof contains the effective dates of the insurance.
How do I pay for my citation?
Fines are due and payable by your court date on the front of your citation. We accept cash, checks, money orders and debit/credit cards. Payments may be made in person at City Hall, by mail, by telephone, or by the mail slot located on the front door of City Hall. Please do not make cash payments through the mail or in the mail slot. If you pay by mail, please list the exact name on your case and citation number. Make checks payable to the City of Yamhill. Mail payments to:
Yamhill Municipal Court
PO Box 9
Yamhill, OR 97148
Please be aware, that failure to appear and/or pay the fine will result in a suspension against your license and you may also be subject to further legal action and costs.
