Going To Court

The date and time of your court appearance is written on your ticket. Court is held at Gold Beach City Hall at 29592 Ellensburg Ave.

You will need to check in with the court staff when you arrive, and then wait until the judge calls your name. The judge will ask you to enter a plea. You may plead guilty, not guilty or no contest.

Should either party request recording of proceedings in this court, they must give written notice to record 30 days before court date.

Courtroom Rules 

All of the following apply when entering the Courtroom:

  • No hats or caps
  • No food or drink
  • No gum
  • No backpacks
  • No tank tops
  • No half shirts
  • No inappropriate shorts
  • No bare feet
  • No talking during court
  • No Weapons
All cell phones, pagers and any other electronic devices must be turned off in the courtroom.
 
Going to Court on a Traffic Ticket
 
The purpose of the first court appearance is to tell the Court how you wish to proceed with your case. There are two options:
  • You can plead NOT GUILTY if you wish to contest the charge against you and go to trial. The trial date is usually set within 4-8 weeks and you will receive a written notice about two weeks in advance.
  • You can plead NO CONTEST. The plea of no contest under Oregon Law results in a guilty finding by the Court. The benefit of a no contest plea is that you do not have to admit guilt in open court. The fine or other penalty, assessed by the Judge, will depend on your explanation, your driving record and the seriousness of the offense. A plea of no contest will result in a conviction being entered on your driving record.
If you wish to plead NOT GUILTY, you may inform the bailiff or court clerk before court convenes. This will allow you to leave without having to wait in court until the judge calls your case. If you prefer, you may enter a plea of not guilty when the judge calls your case in court.
 
Please be aware that if you fail to obey an order of the Court, including an order to pay a fine, your drivers' license will be suspended and you may be subject to further legal action and costs.
 
Please direct any questions you may have to the judge. Under Oregon law, court clerks cannot give legal advice.
 
Failure To Appear
 
If you have not paid your ticket in full before the time you are scheduled to appear in court, you must appear.

You may call the court at 541-247-7029 72 hours in advance and ask to reset your court date ONE TIME ONLY. Failure to appear in court at the time and date scheduled may result in either your driver’s license being suspended.