SadbutTrue
Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California
I posted about this a few months ago, got some help and my situation is a bit clearer now. I'll try to be thorough with the details but try not to write a novel... apologies in advance if its long.
I got two tickets on the same day back in july. One was speeding, one was a lane change (without signalling). The tickets took their sweet time to appear in the system but finally were both up two weeks ago.
Once both tickets were on the Los Angeles superior court's webpage, both said I was eligible for traffic school. For both tickets, I paid the bail and traffic school fee and choose the traffic school option. However, when the traffic school info came in there are messages all over the place that you can only do traffic school once in 18 months.
I finished the online traffic school for the lane change violation ticket. However, for the speeding ticket (VC 22350, 66 in a 50), I now have to go to the court and either a) ask the judge for a 12 hour traffic school (ie the one that takes up a weekend) or b) ask them to refund what I paid and fight it.
My questions:
1) Since I originally asked for traffic school online, I currently have the option to extend my due date (for traffice school) an extra two months. I know if I fight the ticket I'm going to want to extend it as far as possible anyway... is there any downside to clicking this option and getting my extension? Woudl this be an easy way to get a 2 month extension for my court date?
2) Is there any difference between going to court to ask the judge for traffic school and going to the court to actually fight the ticket?
3) Can someone give me a step-by-step on what to do for my court date? What do I plead... not guilty or no contest? Can I change my plea after I know whether the cop will/won't show up? If the cop is actually there, should I argue my case or just explain my circumstances and ask the judge for leniancy (traffic school, reduced fine, etc)?
4) For the actual arguing portion, assuming I argue it and don't just ask the judge for pity:
a) someone recommended I get a copy of the officer's notes and teh CalTrans safety report for the road... where do I go/who do I call for each?
b) I was following another coworker in her car... would it be worthwhile to have her write a statement saying we were both travelling with traffic at the same safe speed? (there isn't any risk to her doing this right?)
c) i was thinking about using the time/weather to argue conditions were 'better than average' (it was a clear sunny day, saturday afternoon.. ie not peak traffic, etc) so that the maximum safe speed would be higher than the posted one... is this a decent idea?
Thanks a lot, all your advice is appreciated
I posted about this a few months ago, got some help and my situation is a bit clearer now. I'll try to be thorough with the details but try not to write a novel... apologies in advance if its long.
I got two tickets on the same day back in july. One was speeding, one was a lane change (without signalling). The tickets took their sweet time to appear in the system but finally were both up two weeks ago.
Once both tickets were on the Los Angeles superior court's webpage, both said I was eligible for traffic school. For both tickets, I paid the bail and traffic school fee and choose the traffic school option. However, when the traffic school info came in there are messages all over the place that you can only do traffic school once in 18 months.
I finished the online traffic school for the lane change violation ticket. However, for the speeding ticket (VC 22350, 66 in a 50), I now have to go to the court and either a) ask the judge for a 12 hour traffic school (ie the one that takes up a weekend) or b) ask them to refund what I paid and fight it.
My questions:
1) Since I originally asked for traffic school online, I currently have the option to extend my due date (for traffice school) an extra two months. I know if I fight the ticket I'm going to want to extend it as far as possible anyway... is there any downside to clicking this option and getting my extension? Woudl this be an easy way to get a 2 month extension for my court date?
2) Is there any difference between going to court to ask the judge for traffic school and going to the court to actually fight the ticket?
3) Can someone give me a step-by-step on what to do for my court date? What do I plead... not guilty or no contest? Can I change my plea after I know whether the cop will/won't show up? If the cop is actually there, should I argue my case or just explain my circumstances and ask the judge for leniancy (traffic school, reduced fine, etc)?
4) For the actual arguing portion, assuming I argue it and don't just ask the judge for pity:
a) someone recommended I get a copy of the officer's notes and teh CalTrans safety report for the road... where do I go/who do I call for each?
b) I was following another coworker in her car... would it be worthwhile to have her write a statement saying we were both travelling with traffic at the same safe speed? (there isn't any risk to her doing this right?)
c) i was thinking about using the time/weather to argue conditions were 'better than average' (it was a clear sunny day, saturday afternoon.. ie not peak traffic, etc) so that the maximum safe speed would be higher than the posted one... is this a decent idea?
Thanks a lot, all your advice is appreciated
