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Where is traffic court in New Orleans?
Traffic tickets in New Orleans go to the Municipal and Traffic Court of New Orleans at 727 S. Broad St. The court handles traffic violations and city ordinance violations. It was formed when the old Municipal Court and the old Traffic Court merged under a 2014 law, effective January 1, 2017.
After Hurricane Ida, the court worked out of a temporary site at 1601 Perdido St. It returned to Broad Street on January 5, 2026. Some older listings online still show outdated addresses, so go by the court's own information and your ticket. If you are unsure where or when to appear, call (504) 905-8399 and we will help you check.
What happens if you miss your court date?
Missing a traffic court date can cost you your license. When you fail to appear, the court notifies the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, which sends notice that your license may be suspended if you do not appear or pay. Once the case is resolved, you owe a $100 fee to the Office of Motor Vehicles to clear the pending suspension.
A failure to appear can also lead to a bench warrant, which means you could be arrested at your next traffic stop. If you already missed a date, do not wait. A lawyer can help you get back in front of the court and work toward clearing it.
Is a traffic ticket a crime?
Most tickets are traffic violations, not crimes, but some charges are criminal. When a traffic law sets no specific penalty, a first violation can bring up to $175 and/or 30 days in jail, and later violations up to $500 and/or 90 days.
- Careless operation is a traffic violation punished under those general penalties.
- Reckless operation is a crime under Title 14. A first conviction carries up to $200 and/or up to 90 days. A second brings $25 to $500 and/or 10 days to 6 months.
A reckless operation charge creates a criminal record, so it deserves a real defense. Our traffic ticket defense page explains more.
Driving under suspension and no-insurance tickets
These tickets carry more than a fine. Driving under suspension can bring up to $500 and/or up to 6 months in jail on a first offense, and up to $5,000 for a commercial license holder. A conviction also automatically extends your existing suspension by 1 year. If the suspension came from a DWI, a later offense requires at least 7 days in jail.
Knowingly driving without liability insurance carries a $500 to $1,000 fine, and your registration and driving privileges can be revoked, your plates canceled and your vehicle impounded.
Should you just pay a New Orleans ticket?
Not before you know what it will do to your record. Louisiana does not use a point system, but traffic convictions are reported to the Office of Motor Vehicles and show up on your driving record, where insurance companies can see them.
For commercial drivers the stakes are higher. Two serious traffic violations within 3 years, such as speeding 15 or more miles per hour over the limit, means a 60-day CDL disqualification. Read should I pay my traffic ticket in Louisiana? before you decide.
Why work with a former prosecutor on a ticket?
Barry spent years in New Orleans courtrooms, first as staff attorney to Orleans Parish Criminal Court Judge Darryl A. Derbigny and then as an Assistant District Attorney in Orleans Parish. He knows how cases are charged and negotiated in this city. For a ticket that threatens your license, your job or your record, that experience is worth a phone call. He will look at the ticket, your driving record and any license problems already pending, then explain your choices in plain language. If a ticket should be contested, he prepares to contest it. If another path protects you better, he tells you. Our Kenner office is about 20 to 25 minutes (roughly 13 miles) from the Broad Street area.
What to do with your ticket this week
- Find the court date and the court named on your ticket.
- Do not ignore it, and do not miss the date.
- If you hold a CDL, tell us right away.
- Call (504) 905-8399 for a free, confidential consultation, available 24/7.
See also our New Orleans criminal defense and Orleans Parish pages, or our New Orleans DWI page if your stop led to an arrest.