Nobody likes to get a traffic ticket. If you’ve received a traffic ticket in Orange County, CA you’ll have to decide how to take care of it. You have five options to choose from:
Ignore the ticket
Failure to pay a ticket, or failing to appear (FTA) on your court date could increase the fine and result in additional penalties, such as having your driver’s license suspended, paying a civil assessment of up to $300, and even having a warrant issued for your arrest. Not a smart thing to do.
Plead Guilty
You can plead guilty and pay the fine, or “bail.” You aren’t required to appear in court if you decide to plead guilty, all you need to do is send in your payment along with a copy of the citation or the reminder notice to the courthouse. If you don’t know how much you owe, you can contact the court to find out. Once the court has received your payment, your case will be closed. Pleading guilty could cause your insurance premiums to go up.
Go to Traffic School
If the violation(s) qualify, the court may decide you are eligible for traffic school. You’ll have to pay for the course – which can be taken online or in a classroom – and complete it with a passing score by a date determined by the court. You’ll be required to show the court (in the form of a signed and dated certificate) that you completed the course on or before the deadline date. One benefit of traffic school is that your insurance premiums won’t go up as a result of your infraction.
Provide Proof of Correction
Some citations require you to provide proof of correction. These can include infractions for equipment violations, driver’s license violations, car registration violations, and insurance violations. Once you’ve corrected the violation, you’ll have to submit a “Certificate of Correction” signed by an authorized person to show proof of correction to the court and pay the dismissal fee before the deadline.
Plead Not Guilty
You may feel you didn’t deserve the ticket. You have a right to have your case heard in court. There are two ways to plead “not guilty” in California:
- You can appear in court on the date marked on your ticket and plead “not guilty” and ask the court for a trial.
- You can plead not guilty in writing and request a court trial, either by mail or in person with the clerk.
A court date will be scheduled. A deposit of traffic bail if you request a trial. If the court finds you not guilty, your bail will be returned.
Traffic court is like any other kind of court – you have a right to legal representation. You can help yourself greatly by hiring an experienced traffic ticket attorney.
Speak to an Experienced Orange County, CA Traffic Ticket Attorney Before Your Court Date
If you feel that you received a ticket for a violation you didn’t commit, don’t be afraid to stand up for your rights in Court, especially with Orange County, CA traffic ticket attorney Jim Tanizaki on your side. Jim has successfully represented clients in a wide range of traffic ticket cases, including misdemeanor traffic ticket cases.
Contact the law offices of Jim Tanizaki through our website, or call us at (714) 655-7633 to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your case with an experienced Orange County, CA traffic ticket attorney.