In California, most traffic tickets for infractions do not require a court appearance. Traffic tickets for speeding more than 100 mph are the exception. This major infraction has a mandatory court appearance. All juvenile moving violators must appear, as is the case with misdemeanors and felonies.
If you choose to challenge your ticket, it will likely require two court appearances to resolve. One for the arraignment and one for the actual defense of the traffic ticket. The good news about any of these situations is a traffic ticket attorney can appear for you.
Juvenile Traffic Tickets
Juveniles and at least one parent or guardian must make a court appearance for moving violations. The traffic division will handle infractions, but the Juvenile Court will try misdemeanors and felonies such as reckless driving, hit and run, and others.
In Los Angeles County, Juvenile traffic tickets for infractions get resolved by the County Probations Department. Juvenile Traffic Court is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, except for holidays. Once you receive a “Notice to Appear” you may walk in any Tuesday, only from 8:30 to 9:00 am, and Wednesday only from 2:30 to 3:00 pm to make an appointment to appear on a first come, first served basis within fifteen days before or fifteen days after your “court date.”
On the Notice to Appear, you should find the following information:
- Case number
- Hearing date
- Court location
- The violation, such as CVC 22349, Speed Laws (14 mph over the posted speed on I-5, 79 mph in a posted 65 mph zone, etc.)
- The Police Department or jurisdiction where the ticket was issued
When you get a red-light camera-enforced ticket in the mail, check the ticket for the URL to the ticket vendor’s website to view the video before you decide to contest the ticket. In every case, you should consult with a traffic ticket attorney before your court appearance.
If you do not receive a notice to appear after one month from receiving the ticket, you should call the court clerk in Inglewood, (310) 412-8301, Eastlake (323) 227-4399, Los Padrinos, (562) 658-0700, or (818) 256-1180 for Sylmar. However, there is minimal information they can provide over the phone due to privacy concerns. They might give the court date and location but not much more.
Misdemeanors and Felonies Always Require a Court Appearance
Traffic tickets for misdemeanors and felonies such as reckless driving, hit and run, driving with a suspended license, Failure to Appear (FTA), etc. are criminal offenses that could lead to jail. Therefore, these traffic tickets allow the defendant all Constitutionally guaranteed rights, such as “the right to remain silent,” the right to have a lawyer present during questioning, and others.
Although some think they need a criminal defense attorney, it is often better to hire a traffic law attorney as they are more familiar with CA traffic code, and they are often less expensive than a criminal defense attorney who may charge by the hour and require a hefty retainer before accepting you as a client.
Realize the Benefit of a Bakersfield Traffic Attorney to Resolve Your Ticket
Call Bigger & Harman, (661) 349-9300, whether you have traffic tickets which state a mandatory court appearance, or are considering challenging your ticket. We handle only traffic tickets using a blanket fee. Whatever we must do to resolve your case favorably we will do for the same price. Regardless of how many court appearances we must make on your behalf, the price does not change.
We are dedicated to ensuring your driving privileges are protected and keeping your driving record clean. Most violations we defend in the Los Angeles County area are speeding on I-5, including the major infraction of speeding 100+ mph, FTA, or those who are not eligible for traffic school for whatever reason.
Contact us by phone or email, attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com to discuss your traffic ticket.
References:
CVC 22349, Speed Laws
The Los Angeles County Juvenile Traffic Court System and Probation Department website