New Hanover & Pender County District Attorney
Jason W. Smith
North Carolina Prosecutorial District 6

The District Attorney’s Office prosecutes more than 50,000 traffic cases every year in New Hanover and Pender Counties. To assist community members and ease the burden that the high volume of traffic cases puts on the local court system, the DA’s Office offers options that allow members of the public to address their traffic tickets prior to the scheduled court date. Please note that the District Attorney's Office cannot explain your charges, insurance or driving license points, or give you any legal advice as to your charges. You must consult a private attorney for legal advice. The North Carolina Judicial Branch website also has extensive information available online about handling traffic violations.
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The DA’s Office is unable to reschedule court dates or negotiate pleas over the telephone, so if you have received a traffic citation, please come to court or utilize one of the options described below before your court date:
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1. Come to court
Your traffic citation should list a court date (traffic court is held each Friday in New Hanover and the first Wednesday of each month in Pender). If you’d like to come to court to resolve a traffic citation or contest the citation, you should appear at the courthouse in the county where you received a citation on your scheduled court date. If you’d like to address your traffic citation prior to your court date, you may utilize one of the other options provided below. 

2. Hire an attorney
You may wish to hire an attorney. The DA’s Office cannot provide legal advice or advise you as to whether you should hire an attorney. 

3. Have your case moved up to an earlier date 
If you would like to come to court before the date listed on your citation, you need to appear in person at the Criminal Clerk's Office between 8:00am and 8:30am and ask for your case to be "sent up" to the courtroom on that day. Please note that the Clerk will not send up any cases after 8:30am. Also note that you will likely have a longer wait in court if you send up your case rather than come on your assigned court date. 

4. Pay online 
Some traffic citation fines issued in North Carolina and related costs can be paid online with a credit card; please click here to learn more. Before proceeding to pay your citation fine and costs, please speak with you attorney and/or carefully read the "Notice to Defendant" on your citation. It contains important information about your obligations and options. 

5. Online Reduction or Dismissal
For some traffic offenses, such as minor speeding violations and equipment violations, you have the option of handling your case without going to court by paying the fine and court costs before your court date. These offenses are often called “waivable” offenses, because if you choose this option, you “waive,” or give up, your right to appear in court and contest the ticket. Law enforcement officers typically note on the ticket whether the offense is waivable, and, if so, the fine and court costs that you must pay in order to waive. Please click here to learn more about these options.
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6. Defensive Driving School
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The Defensive Driving School is a driving school that traffic offenders can attend if they were charged with going less than 15 miles over the speed limit and have not attended the school within the last three years. These are the only driving schools that are recognized by New Hanover and Pender County traffic courts:
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National Crash Prevention Program, 910-899-9101
​StreetSafe (drivers under 25), 910-612-9030​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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