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1. Where is Cookeville City Court?

The Cookeville City Court is now located at 1019 Neal Street, in Cookeville. Your Court appearance is shown on the front of the citation you received.

Cookeville Police Department
1019 Neal Street
Cookeville, TN 38501

2. When is Cookeville City Court?

Cookeville City Court is held on Tuesdays at 5:00 p.m.

3. How do I pay a ticket?

If you received your ticket for a moving traffic violation (e.g., speeding, traffic light, stop sign, failure to yield, etc.) you may pay the non-appearance amount shown on your ticket by 4:00 p.m. on your court date, and you will not have to attend court. You may pay in person at the Cookeville Police Department or Cookeville City Court at 1019 Neal Street. Those offices are open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on court dates, when the office closes at 4:00 p.m. You may also mail your check or money order made payable to the City of Cookeville to the address below:

Cookeville City Court
1019 Neal Street
Cookeville, TN 38501

We accept Checks, Cash, Money Orders or Debit Cards at the City Court Clerk’s Office. The Police Department accept Checks, Cash, or Money Orders only. 

Credit Card /Online payments are available online at this link. 

4. Will my ticket go on my record?

If you elect to pay the non-appearance amount prior to your scheduled Court date, it will be recorded on your driving record with the Tennessee Department of Safety. You may avoid the moving violation going on your driving record by, requesting to complete a defensive driving school if eligible.

5. Can I go to driving school?

If the ticket you received is for a moving traffic violation, you may be eligible to complete a defensive driving school so long as you have not attended one in the last 12 months, and you do not have a commercial driver’s license. You must come into the City Court Clerk’s office before 4:00 p.m. on your scheduled court date if you wish to attend a Defensive Driving School without coming to court.

6. What do I do if I’m not guilty?

You have the right to plead "Not Guilty" and have a trial. You must call the City Court Clerk no less than 3 days prior to your scheduled Court date and ask the clerk to set your trial for the trial docket or come to Court on your original Court date and tell the Judge you want a trial. The telephone number is (931) 520-5254. You may bring witnesses to testify on your behalf. If you need to subpoena witnesses, you must notify the court clerk not less than two weeks prior to the Court date so the subpoenas can be issued and served. You may bring any evidence you deem necessary. You may hire an attorney, but it is not required.

7. What if I don’t have the money to pay?

The Cookeville City Court has adopted a policy that failure to pay Court fines and costs will not result in the suspension of your driving privileges if you are determined by the Court to be financially unable to pay those fines and costs because of lndigency. If you wish to plead guilty but believe you are financially unable to pay the fines and costs, you may request an lndigency hearing at your Court appearance. You will need to complete a Certificate of lndigency that will be provided to you, and the Court will make a determination of your lndigency. If you plead "Not Guilty" but are found "Guilty" at your hearing, you may request an lndigency determination following the hearing. A Certificate of Indigency is available from the City Court Clerk’s office at 1019 Neal Street, Cookeville Tennessee. If you do not consider yourself Indigent, but you are currently unable to pay your fine and costs, you may request a Payment Plan for payment of your fine and costs. If your request is granted, but you fail to comply with the Payment Plan, the state of Tennessee will be notified of your failure and your license may be suspended by the State.

8. What if I ignore my ticket?

NOTICE. If you neglect to pay your ticket or if you fail to appear in court on your scheduled court date, your failure to pay or make arrangements to pay will be reported to the State and may result in the suspension of your license by the Department of Safety. As stated in Section 7. Above your failure to pay Court fines and costs will not result in the suspension of your driver’s privileges if you have been determined to be Indigent by the Court, but such determination requires a finding of indigency in Court by the Judge.