NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Fighting a traffic ticket typically requires a visit to court. If you get ticketed in Nashville, that won't always be the case going forward.
Now, defendants can appear virtually when Judge Robin Kimbrough Hayes is presiding over traffic court. Judge Hayes is on the bench in Courtroom 1B about once every eight weeks. That's where traffic infractions are heard every day starting at 8:30 a.m.
Judge Hayes created the virtual convenience court traffic docket.
It launched Tuesday in General Sessions Court.
On launch day, nine of the 34 people scheduled to appear communicated with the court over Zoom. People appeared from their homes and jobs. One person appeared from Richmond, Virginia.
It can be difficult for defendants to get the courthouse when they're scheduled, according to Judge Hayes.
"Having this virtual platform for people to at least handle their traffic matter saves them money. They won't have to miss their jobs to handle their ticket and they don't have to risk getting another ticket to handle their ticket," said Judge Hayes.
Originally, the judge thought about creating an after-hours traffic court. She decided the virtual docket was the most efficient way to go.
"These folks appearing in person, from leaving in the morning to getting here [and] from going back home [it is] maybe an hour and a half or two hours to resolve something that can be resolved in 10 minutes," Judge Hayes said.
You can get on Judge Hayes' virtual docket by calling the court's traffic violation bureau.
