Don’t Let This Be Your Story about a Traffic Ticket in Fresno County, CA

Maybe you sat in traffic court from 9 am until after 11 am just to plead not guilty to a traffic ticket, and pay the fine as bail, so you could go back to traffic court another day to present your case.

What’s more, you’re not even from Fresno. You came here for a job interview that you didn’t get, and the law enforcement officer said you didn’t stop for the stop sign, which you know you did. The thing is, he couldn’t see that you stopped before the pedestrian crossing, checked for traffic as you rolled forward, and then went through.

He was sitting on the street you turned onto on the other side. He couldn’t have seen you stop before the crosswalk. You had a diagram drawn up and were just waiting to explain to the judge. But he said they had too many cases that day to accommodate your not guilty plea. 

Now, you’re not sure if you want to bother. Besides, you have a new job starting the same day as traffic court. Asking to start the next day might mean you don’t get the job. Plus, you’re just not sure it’s worth losing a day’s pay after being out of work for nearly a year. 

Always consult a traffic ticket attorney before you decide to pay the fine or defend yourself.

Can a Traffic Attorney Resolve the Traffic Ticket Without Me Being There?  

Most traffic attorneys will not require you to be in court with them. Some would rather you weren’t. That way, the judge cannot ask you directly a question your attorney would rather you don’t have to answer. 

The traffic attorney only needs to raise a “reasonable doubt” with the traffic court judge. Plus, they can use your diagram and explain it in legal terms. CA Vehicle Code (CVC) Section 22450, Special Stops Requiredstates that “The driver of any vehicle approaching a stop sign at the entrance to, or within, an intersection shall stop at a limit line, if marked, otherwise before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection.”

Typically, there is a “limit line” before the crosswalk where you must stop, but even when there is none the driver must stop before the crosswalk. Therefore, showing the LEO's position across the street from the point where you had to stop should be enough to raise a reasonable doubt.

Traffic Violator’s School (TVS) Will Not Forgive Your Traffic Ticket 

Many drivers believe what they read on the internet that attending TVS will dismiss their traffic ticket. This is not true. You must first get permission from the traffic court judge or in some cases, minor infractions such as running a stop sign are delegated to the county clerk. Therefore, you must plead guilty, pay the full fineamount plus penalties, surcharges and assessments due. 

Then, the driver must pay the county clerk $64, plus the TVS tuition, and complete the course before the court-ordered deadline for completion. If something comes up and you don’t finish it, the DMV will assess the negligent operator treatment system (NOTS) points. When your car insurance carrier finds out, usually at renewal, they will take your “good driver’s discount” and add the risk level associated with your infraction. 

Usually, that discount is $392 or 20 percent of the $1960 per year premium for the average California driver and another $211.50 for the added risk of running a stop sign. That’s almost $600 a year. 

Plus, the conviction will stay on your motor vehicle driving record for three years. So, rather than paying what most think is around $238 for the traffic ticket, it’s closer to $2,000.

Don’t go it alone! Hire a CA Traffic Attorney to represent your and clear your name. 

Note: Although the scenario about the Fresno job interview and subsequent traffic ticket is made-up, the facts about fines, increased auto insurance and TVS are true.

Consult a Traffic Attorney Before You Pay a Fine or Accept TVS for a Traffic Ticket

When you have a traffic ticket in Fresno, call Bigger & Harman, (661) 349-9300. Se habla Español (661) 349-9755.

We are Central Valley traffic lawyers who can resolve your traffic tickets in Kern, Kings, Fresno, Mono, Inyo, Tulare, LA and San Luis Obispo (SLO) county. We always use a flat rate so that you will know how much our fee is from start to resolution. Regardless of how many court appearances we must make on your behalf.    

Email: attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com. 

References:

The 2021 CA Driver Handbook English y Español