Denver County Court

Changes in the Law

As of June 8, 2012, the law was changed making RTD violations Class B traffic infractions and punishable by a fine of $75, plus other associated costs. Prior to June 8, 2012, RTD violations were classified as a criminal offense. Because the law was changed, if you plead to, or are found guilty of a RTD related violation that was issued after June 8, 2012, you will not have a criminal record for theft.

The change in law also changes the consequences if you failure to appear. Previously the judicial officer would have issued a warrant for your arrest. Now, the judicial officer will not issue a warrant, but will find you in “default” which means you are deemed to be responsible for the ticket. You now owe the fines and costs, and a hold is placed on your driver’s license (OJW) which could cancel your license if you do not pay the fines, costs, and the $30 OJW fee.

If you were convicted of an RTD related offense prior to June 8, 2012, and you completed your sentence, your conviction was automatically sealed on or before January 1, 2013. Sealing your case means you no longer are required to list the conviction on job applications or mention it during an interview. The public will not be allowed access to the case record. If an inquiry is made, court personnel will respond by saying “No record exists.”

If you were convicted of an RTD related offense prior to June 8, 2012, but you did not complete your sentence, your case will not be automatically sealed. You must complete your sentence and then make a motion to the court to seal your record. For more information on sealing of criminal records, please refer to the Cleaning Up Your Record section of this site.