California Traffic Ticket Questions

What information is on a notice to appear traffic ticket?

There is a lot of information on the front side and the back side of a notice to appear or traffic ticket. The front side of the traffic citation includes following information:

• Traffic citation number
• Law Enforcement agency
• Date and time of the alleged violation
• Violations codes
• Location where the violation occurred
• Officer’s information
• Place and time, as promised to appear

How do I get help with my traffic citation?

California traffic courts provide accurate information. Traffic court clerks are authorized to provide procedural information used by the traffic court to process a traffic ticket case. However, all traffic court clerks are prohibited by law (Government Code Section 24004) to provide legal advice to people or to help people in filling out any forms, including forms provided by the traffic court.

How do I pay my traffic citation?

The bail amount due for a traffic citation is the required money to guarantee the defendants appearance in traffic court. A bail forfeiture occurs when a person pays the bail for a traffic citation and does not go to trial. In this situation the traffic citation is paid with conviction reported to the DMV to reflect on the driving record. There are certain violations that require a mandatory court appearance, therefore they cannot simply be paid.

On the traffic citations if there are any violations for insurance or mechanical issues, proof of correction must be presented to the traffic court before the bail for the traffic citation can be paid. Proof of correction may be presented to the traffic court either by mail or in person.

How to pay for a traffic citation?

• Online payment (if available)
• By mail
• In person
• Work Program
• Payment Plan

A DMV hold may be placed on the driver’s license for failure to appear in traffic court to resolve a traffic citation on or before the due date or even an arrest warrant may be issued. 

What is an extension for a traffic citation?

An extension is a postponement of the original due date on a traffic citation. Some violations are not eligible for an extension. Most California traffic courts may give one 30-day extension to pay the bail on eligible traffic citations.

There are fourt alternatives to request an extension to pay bail:

• Online (if available)
• By telephone
• Written request
• In personal at the court location marked on your traffic citation

How do I get an extension to complete Traffic School?

The traffic court Clerk may give one 30-day extension to complete traffic school if requested prior to the original traffic school due date. Normally, no further extensions at the end of the 30-day period will be given. Contact the court for the specific court rules for the specific county.

In most courts, there are four options to request an extension to complete Traffic School:

• Online (if available)
• By telephone
• In person
• By mail

What is an arraignment?

An arraignment is a hearing where the Court advises the accused of the rights and provides information regarding the charges. The accused will be asked to enter a plea to the charges. The following should be considered:

• If a not guilty plea is entered, there will be a court trial date set by the judicial officer
• If a guilty plea or no contest plea is entered, there will be a sentence by the judicial officer
• There are no arguments for the case at an arraignment because an arraignment is not a trial

Arraignments are usually heard on the walk-in arraignment calendar days, if any. The traffic court clerk should be contacted for appearance dates and times. For mechanical, registration, driver's license or insurance violations, the accused should bring all proof of correction to the arraignment. If a plea of guilty is entered, the court will require payment for the fine, if it is imposed.

Most traffic citations do not require a personal appearance in traffic court and can be handled online (if available), by telephone or by mail by paying or posting the bail amount and/or providing proof of correction.

There are usually four alternatives for scheduling an arraignment date:

• Online (if available) 
• By telephone
• In person
• By mail

What is a court Trial like at a traffic court?

A traffic court trial is where the accused must appear in person to testify about the facts in the case. The citing officer will be required to appear. The accused has the right to subpoena witnesses and to have an attorney present, if an attorney was retained by the accused.

How long will a traffic court Trial take?

Most traffic court trials for traffic tickets take a very short amount of time, but there is usually a wait time that may take 3 hours or longer. 

Should my witnesses appear at traffic court for trial?

Witnesses should be subpoenaed well in advance of the trial date to appear in traffic court. The traffic court clerk normally You can obtain the subpoena form from the traffic court Clerk's Office. 

Note: A defendant cannot serve the subpoena. The person served (witnesses) must be given reasonable notice of the date and time to appear for trial.

What types of evidence can a defendant present at trial in traffic court?

Any related photos, diagrams, reports, or any other exhibits that would help the case should be brought to traffic court on trial date.

Will the citing officer be present at the traffic court Trial?

The traffic court clerk will subpoena the citing officer to appear in traffic court on the trial date. In most cases, the officer will appear. In some cases, unavoidable circumstances may prevent or delay the officer to appear in traffic court on the date of trial. In these situations, the Court may proceed in the officer's absence or continue the trial to a different date.

What happens at trial in a traffic ticket case?

The bailiff of the court or the court clerk will give some instructions and then take attendance roll and check in those people appearing in court. The traffic court will hear the statement presented by the officer. Then, the defendant will present his/her defense arguments to the court, and the Court will rule on the matter.

What happens if the court verdict is guilty?

In most cases, a sentence is imposed if the verdict is guilty in traffic court.

How does a person request to change the trial date?

If it becomes necessary to change the court trial date, the defendant must contact the court clerk where the trial is scheduled and request an extension, in most cases, at least 5 court business days prior to trial date. 

What is a Trial by Written Declaration?

A Trial by Written Declaration is a trial by mail where a written statement on a Trial By Written Declaration form explaining the facts of the case is submitted to the court. Documentary evidence may be submitted to the court along with the statement. The citing officer will also be asked to submit a written statement. To proceed via Trial by Written Declaration, the defendant must waive his/her rights to appear, to testify in person, and to subpoena witnesses. The court will issue a ruling based solely upon the submitted documentation. The full bail amount is required by the court to be deposited in advance at the time the Trial by Written Declaration is submitted to the court.

If the verdict in a trial by written declaration is guilty, the bail deposit will be applied toward the fine, if one is imposed. If the fine is suspended or if the verdict is not guilty, the bail will be refunded by mail to the address listed on the case, usually within six to eight weeks.

What is a civil assessment in California traffic court?

Failure to appear or to pay the fines as directed by the due date on the courtesy notice may result in the court referring the case to a collection agency and impose an additional $300 fee pursuant to Penal Code section 1214.1.