Traffic Division

The Traffic Division handles all Traffic and Driving Under the Influence tickets filed in Tazewell County. The traffic division is located on the second floor of the Tazewell County Courthouse in Room 206, and handles the following cases:

• DT
• TR
• MT

Frequently Asked Questions for Traffic:

Address Changes

It is the defendant’s responsibility to keep the Circuit Clerk’s Office informed of their current address. We will mail court notices, bond refunds, driver’s licenses, etc. to the address on the ticket/complaint. If this is not your current address, it is your responsibility and in your best interest to keep the Circuit Clerk’s Office up to date with your new address. Your change of address has to be filed in writing. You may change your address by mail or in person. (In person you may be required to show proof of address with an ID)

Appearing in Court

If you have a required court appearance, or wish to appear in court for your ticket, please check the bottom of your ticket for the date and time you are scheduled. If you can’t read the date/time please call the Traffic Department at (309)477-2218. If you are required to be in court, please check in with the Bailiff in front of room 207. If your ticket doesn’t say appearance required check in with room 206.

Changing Your Court Date

If you are unable to appear on your scheduled court date and need a continuance, please call the Traffic Division at (309)477-2218 to find out what your options are for a continuance.

Please note that failing to appear for your scheduled court date could result in a warrant for your arrest, a conviction, and fines and costs could be assessed in your absence.

Contesting Your Ticket

If you want to contest your citation(s) and not plead guilty, you may request a trial at your court date. It is your right to request a jury trial or a bench trial. Due to scheduling, trials will NOT be held at your first court appearance – simply appear on your court date and then at that time, a trial will be scheduled by the Court.

Court Supervision

If you would like to receive court supervision, which is a non-conviction on your driving record, you must appear in person. You may come in to the Traffic Division (Room 206) in the Courthouse, anytime before your court date or on the date and time on your ticket. If you have further questions please contact our office at (309)477-2218. Please see attachment to see if you are eligible.

Court Supervision

Failure to Carry Proof of Insurance Tickets

If you received a ticket for Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle, it is required that you appear in court. However if you have the proper proof of insurance and there was NOT an accident involved, and no other tickets were issued at the time of the stop, you can bring in proof of insurance to the traffic department in room 206. Proof of insurance must be presented before your scheduled court date.

Requirements for presenting proof of insurance prior to your court date:

• No accident involved
• No other tickets
• An original hard copy of insurance card

• We DO NOT accept policies or declaration pages
• Card CAN NOT be a copy, fax, emailed form, or electronic
• Insurance policy CAN NOT start the same day of ticket
• Policies must start before the day of the ticket

Filing a Motion to Vacate

If you wish to file a motion to vacate, the motion needs to be in writing and a non-refundable $40 filing fee must be submitted at the time of filing the motion. The motion can be hand written or typed. Address the motion to “To whom it may concern,” and include a reason for your request to reopen the case.

I Missed My Court Date

If you were charged with a petty or business offense, such as Speeding or Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle, an ex-parte judgment could be entered against you. This means you will automatically be found guilty in your absence, a conviction will enter and fines/costs will be assessed.

If you were charged with a misdemeanor offense, such as DUI, Driving While License is Suspended/Revoked, a warrant may be issued for your arrest

Please note that a conviction entered on certain tickets could result in the suspension of your driver’s license and license plate by the Illinois Secretary of State (217)785-8619.

Posting Bond for a Defendant

If you have posted bond for a defendant in a traffic case please take time to read the notice located above your signature line. It states:

NOTICE TO PERSON PROVIDING BAIL MONEY OTHER THAN DEFENDANT

I hereby acknowledge that I have posted bail for the defendant named above. I further understand that if the defendant fails to comply with the conditions of this bail bond or any other case pending in this court, that the court shall enter an order declaring the bail to be forfeited, and if the defendant is in compliance, said bail bond may nevertheless be used to pay costs, attorney fees, legal service reimbursement, fines or other purposes authorized by the court. If the defendant is sentenced, the bond you have posted will go to any fines and fees assessed to that case. If the case is dismissed the Clerk will keep 10% of the bond before a refund is issued.

Please note that Tazewell County Administrative Order 2009-3 authorizes the Circuit Clerk’s Office to apply bond money posted in a case to any outstanding fines or fees owed on other Tazewell County cases. If you owe fines and fees on other Tazewell County cases the posted bond will be applied to those cases before a refund will be issued. 

Treatment Providers

Alcohol & Drug Professionals

• Pekin (309)346-2002
• Canton (309)649-1002

DUI Countermeasures INC.

• Pekin (309)347-8282
• Peoria (309)676-7868

Illinois Alcohol & Drug Evaluation Services

• Peoria (309)692-9236 or 1-888-374-7623

Richardson Counseling Center

• Bartonville (309)346-0898

UnityPoint Health

• UnityPlace Pekin (309)347-5522
• UnityPlace East Peoria (309)694-6462
• UnityPlace Lincoln (217)732-6865
• UnityPlace Peoria (309)671-8040

Your Driving Record

The Circuit Clerk’s Office is responsible for reporting all dispositions to the Illinois Secretary of State. The Circuit Clerk does not have the authority to suspend your license.

Please contact the Illinois Secretary of State at (217)785-8619 or online at cyberdriveillinois.com for questions regarding:

• the status of your driving privileges
• what appears on your driving record
• whether a ticket is a moving violation and how it affects your driving record