Ticket & Court
What happens between a reckless driving summons and the hearing in general district court, and how first offenses are usually handled.
2 guides
A reckless driving summons is not a ticket that can be paid and forgotten. It is a criminal charge with a mandatory court date in the General District Court of the county or city where the stop happened, and failing to appear is a separate offence.
These pages cover what happens between the stop and the hearing: what the summons means, what the weeks before court are for, and how first offences are usually handled.
- Reckless Driving in Virginia, First Offense: What to Expect
First-offense reckless driving in Virginia is a Class 1 misdemeanor (up to 12 months jail, $2,500 fine), but most first offenses end in a fine or a reduction.
- Reckless Driving Ticket in Virginia: What Happens Next
A reckless driving ticket in Virginia is a criminal summons, not a payable ticket. What the charge means, what it risks, and what to do before court.