City Court & Citations

City Court

  • Handles traffic citations, parking citations, and City Ordinance violations.
  • City Judge Richard Matthews currently presides over Columbia's Municipal Court.
  • Blue citations are issued by the Columbia Police Department (NOTE: Parking tickets issued in downtown Columbia are white). 
  • Some citations do not require a court appearance and can be paid at the City Recorder's Office on the first floor at City Hall. 
  • Blue citations that require a court appearance include: 
    • Failure to Stop for an Accident, Leaving the Scene
    • Drag Racing
    • Reckless Driving
    • Failure to Report an Accident
    • Texting or Cell Phone Use
    • Due Care
      *If you are unsure whether your citation requires a court appearance, it is in your best interest to attend court.
  • Citations issued by the Maury County Sherriff's Department (Pink tickets) and citations issued by the Tennessee State Troopers Division (White tickets) CANNOT be paid at City Court or the City Recorder's Office: Contact the Maury County Circuit Court. 

City Court Schedule

City Court is held on the second and fourth Tuesday each month at 8:30 am. In the event of official holidays, scheduling conflicts or inclement weather, court sessions may be rescheduled.

City Court Location

Columbia City Hall
Council Chambers (basement level)
700 N Garden Street
Columbia, TN 38401

City Court Rules

The rules for appearing in City Court are as follows, no exceptions:

  • No Food or Drink
  • No Chewing Gum
  • No Cell Phones
  • No Tank Tops
  • No Shorts
  • No Bare Mid-Sections
  • No Visible Body Piercings
  • No Caps or Hats
  • No Sagging Pants
  • No Clothing with Holes Showing Undergarments or Bare Skin

Pay a City of Columbia Citation

If you are not required to appear in court and do not wish to contest the citation, you may pay at the City Recorder's Office, located on the first floor of Columbia City Hall at 700 North Garden Street, Columbia, TN.

The City does not accept personal checks. Payments can be made via debit/credit card, cash, money order, or cashier's check.

Please note: 

The Columbia Police Department issues two types of citations:

  • Blue citations for a variety of non-parking violations

  • White parking citations for parking violations within downtown Columbia only

Although some tickets may appear white, downtown parking citations are different from state-issued citations. Be sure to read your ticket carefully to determine the type of violation and the appropriate next steps.