Medford Traffic Ticket Records

Traffic ticket records in Medford are processed through the Somerville District Court in Middlesex County. There is no dedicated Medford courthouse for civil motor vehicle infractions. Citations issued in Medford flow to Somerville District Court, which handles cases for both Medford and Somerville. This page covers how to find your ticket, your options for responding, what the fines look like, and what resources are available if you need help with a Medford traffic case.

Somerville District Court (Serves Medford)

Medford traffic tickets go to the Somerville District Court at 175 Fellsway in Somerville. The court is physically in Somerville but it covers both Somerville and Medford under its jurisdiction. If your citation includes a court date or you want to request a hearing, you will go to this courthouse. It is open Monday through Friday with the clerk's office available for walk-ins during regular business hours.

Getting to Somerville District Court from Medford is not difficult. The courthouse is close to the Medford-Somerville line, so the drive is short. Street parking is available near the courthouse, though it can be limited at busy times. If you need directions or want to confirm the court schedule, check the Somerville District Court page on mass.gov.

The court's page on mass.gov also lists clerk contact information and any schedule updates. Call ahead if you have questions about your specific case before showing up.

Somerville District Court at 175 Fellsway processes traffic citations issued in both Medford and Somerville.

Understanding Your Medford Traffic Ticket

Traffic tickets in Medford are civil motor vehicle infractions (CMVIs). They are not criminal charges. The distinction matters because a CMVI does not result in a criminal record. It goes through the civil side of the court, handled at Somerville District Court. You do not need a lawyer to deal with a CMVI, though you can have one if you choose.

You have 20 days from the date on the citation to decide what to do. Your three options are to pay and admit the violation, request a $25 clerk-magistrate hearing to contest it, or request a $50 judge's hearing. If you do not respond in 20 days, the Registry of Motor Vehicles will treat the ticket as admitted and update your driving record. No notice is sent to you. The 20-day clock is real and it does not stop.

At a clerk-magistrate hearing, you appear before the court clerk and explain your case. The clerk reviews the facts and makes a ruling. If the clerk finds you responsible and you disagree, you can still request a judge's hearing for $50. The judge hears both sides and issues a final ruling. You cannot appeal further on the civil level after the judge decides. Read what to expect at mass.gov's hearing guide.

For a step-by-step walkthrough of contesting a ticket, visit mass.gov's appeal guide.

Traffic Fines for Medford Violations

All traffic fines in Massachusetts follow a statewide schedule. Speeding 1 to 10 mph over the limit is a $50 base fine. Going 11 or more mph over is $50 plus $10 for each additional mph above the threshold. Every speeding ticket also carries a $50 Head Injury Assessment surcharge. So a ticket for doing 25 mph over the limit would have a base fine of $190 plus the $50 surcharge, putting you at $240 before any other costs.

The state's Hands-Free Law bans using or holding a mobile device while driving. First offense is $100. Second offense is $250. Third and beyond are $500 each. These are all surchargeable incidents. A surchargeable violation can raise your auto insurance premium at your next renewal cycle. The complete list of what counts as surchargeable is at mass.gov's surchargeable incidents page.

Repeat speeders face suspension. Under MGL c. 90, section 20, three speeding violations in a 12-month period can lead to a 30-day license suspension. The RMV tracks your record. If you qualify as a habitual traffic offender under MGL c. 90, section 22F, the suspension can go up to four years. Check the current rules at mass.gov's multiple offense suspension page.

Medford Police Department

The Medford Police Department writes most of the traffic citations issued within city limits. Massachusetts State Police patrol I-93 and other state-controlled roads in the Medford area. Citations from both agencies go to Somerville District Court through the same statewide CMVI system.

If you need a copy of a police report from the stop or want to find out which officer issued your citation, call Medford PD's records unit. For questions about the court case itself, contact Somerville District Court at (617) 666-8000. The court handles everything once the ticket is in the system.

Paying a Medford Traffic Ticket

You can pay a Medford traffic ticket online using the Massachusetts courts' payment portal. Go to mass.gov's payment page for a link to the portal and complete instructions. Have your citation number ready. Online payment is available any time and is usually confirmed quickly.

In-person payment is accepted at the Somerville District Court clerk's office at 175 Fellsway. The window closes at 4:30 PM on weekdays. Mail payments as a check or money order to the court address. Do not send cash. Once the court processes your payment, the ticket is recorded as an admitted violation at the RMV.

Paying admits the violation. If the ticket is surchargeable, paying can trigger an insurance rate increase. Before paying, review your choices at mass.gov's traffic tickets page to make sure paying is the right move for your situation.

Your Driving Record After a Medford Ticket

Once your Medford ticket is resolved at Somerville District Court, the result goes to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. The RMV adds the violation to your driving record. You can request a copy of your record from the Massachusetts RMV or through the myRMV online portal.

An unattested record is $8. A certified, attested copy is $20. The certified version is sometimes required by courts, employers, or insurance companies. For step-by-step instructions, visit mass.gov's driving record page. To look up case-level details from Somerville District Court, use masscourts.org and search by name or citation number.

Middlesex County Traffic Ticket Records

Medford is one of many cities in Middlesex County, the most populous county in Massachusetts. The county spans dozens of communities and is served by multiple district courts. Somerville District Court covers Medford and Somerville, while other courts handle the rest of the county. The Middlesex County page has the full picture of courts, jurisdictions, and county-wide resources for traffic matters.

View Middlesex County Traffic Ticket Records