I have received a Single Justice Notice for a Road Traffic Offence – what do I do now?

Here, Nick Woosey, Duty Solicitor, explains what it means and what to do if you receive a Single Justice Notice for Road Traffic Offences and the potential consequences that could follow. 

When a road traffic offence has been committed such as:   

• Speeding  
• Contravening a traffic light signal  
• Obstructing the highway  
• Or a collision  

and the matter is not capable of resolution by way of a fixed penalty or drivers awareness course, the police will generate a Single Justice Notice (SJN) and send it to the alleged offender. 

The notice will provide details of the offence alleged, statements in support and invite you to complete the SJN online. We would recommend seeking legal advice at this early stage to ensure you can complete the SJN correctly and obtain advice on plea etc. You should not ignore the notice. 

Once a SJN is completed the Court will deal with the matter administratively and depending upon the offence / circumstances, you will either be sent an outcome letter OR a hearing letter to attend Court. The latter is often the case when the allegation is serious or if penalty points (endorsement) may result in a “totting up disqualification”. 

If a licence holder has accumulated penalty points within three years of the commission of the previous offences to the commission of the new offence (not the date of Court hearing) and the new matter taken together with the earlier points are likely to attract a total of 12 points or more then you are at risk of the Court imposing a disqualification – Section 35 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 

We would recommend you obtain legal advice as you may have grounds to avoid a disqualification. We can provide a free 30-minute initial call to assess your needs.