A Fresno laundrymat owner is bound and determined to obtain the $229 the county owes him.

Carl Pederson went to court in March over a speeding ticket. The court date was prior to the rules change, so Mr. Pederson had to pay the fine and penalty assessments upfront. The judge dismissed the ticket, and Mr. Pederson went to the mailbox every day, looking for his refund check. The County has sent two updates, the first of which cited a “court transition at the beginning of April” for the delay. The second letter reassured him that the Accounting Department had received a “rush refund request” and he should expect a check within two to three weeks. Apparently, “rush” is a relative term when dealing with the Superior Court.

Mr. Pederson received the ticket almost exactly a year ago.

Disposing of a Traffic Ticket

Only about 5 percent of traffic tickets go to trial. That sounds like an extremely small percentage, and it is, but that number is roughly in line with the plea bargain rate in criminal court. The difference is that nearly all criminal defendants have attorneys who are there to get the best deal possible for their clients, and nearly all motorists pay the maximum fine just to “get it over with,” unless they are among the lucky few who are offered traffic school or some other pretrial diversion. By the way, these programs usually have strings attached.

A pro athlete wouldn’t dream of negotiating a big contract without an agent. And since a few hundred dollars matters an awful lot to most families, including mine, it only makes sense to partner with an attorney who understands the hidden costs of a traffic ticket as well as the best approach to save money.

Getting Legal Help

The aggressive lawyers at Bigger & Harman, APC, are committed to giving individuals a voice when dealing with speeding and traffic tickets. Call today at 661-859-1177 or email attorney@markbigger.com to receive the personal professional attention you deserve. En español, llame al 661-376-0214.