Speeding ticket california

[sovris]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California
live in southern California but am now staying in Ukiah for awhile and I received a speeding ticket on the way here. The officer was coming toward me on the other side of the road and said I was doing 84 in a 55 zone. I went to the courthouse to ask the price of the fine and was told it would be "well over $500." (I didn't even realize tickets could be that expensive!) I requested to have the ticket info sent to where I am staying in Ukiah and the lady said she would but it never arrived. She said once I received the info I could go and talk to the judge, but I'm assuming the ticket info has been mailed to my home address in southern California. It has been suggested to me that my best option if I want to contest the ticket would be trial by written declaration. I am wondering if everyone here agrees or has any other advice. Would it be worth my trying to get in to talk to the judge before I leave here (I am leaving in six days to return home to southern California)? Is going in to talk to the judge something separate from the trial, and what is the usual result of going in to talk to the judge, assuming I can find a way to do this, despite the fact the ticket information has not been mailed to me here? Would I be able to have the penalty converted to community service or something like that? Any information on my best option in these circumstances would be appreciated, since a ticket "well over $500" is really going to put me in a financial bind. Thanks for your replies.

 

[CdwJava]

You need to appear at the indicated court at the date and time indicated on the citation. If you fail to appear your license could be suspended and additional penalties (fees) could accrue.

You have a limited window of time to request a trial by written declaration so you had best contact the issuing court and make the request presently. If you lose, you can always request a trial de novo (a new trial) and appear in person then.

What code section were you cited for?

 

[Captain Picard]

US Post office can forward mail.

 

[asiny]

I requested to have the ticket info sent to where I am staying in Ukiah and the lady said she would but it never arrived.

I'm really unclear on what you were having mailed to you.

Can someone clear up, but I was under the impression that a citation usually had the contact information I would need already on it?
I have never heard of this 'lady' who said she would mail any form of legal documentation to an unknown address that is not listed with the DMV or on your licence...

If the ticket information - which you make a point to bring up that you have not received (for what reason I don't know) - was sent to your legal address and no-one is available to forward it to you, why not just go back to the 'lady' and request this 'information'..

To other posters I am reading this as though the OP has not received any form of citation/ticket/documentation from the LEO. They were stopped, told they did something wrong and were let go without being issued anything... does this sound right?

OP, is this the case? Did you NOT receive anything from the LEO? Is the 'ticket information', you keep bringing up, the citation or just generic information regarding speeding tickets?

 

[I_Got_Banned]

I'm really unclear on what you were having mailed to you.

Can someone clear up, but I was under the impression that a citation usually had the contact information I would need already on it?

Typically, the only thing mailed from the court is the courtesy notice informing the defendant of the fine amount and explaining -pretty much- the same options as they are written on the back of the citation, only they are now printed with a larger size font

The courtesy notice is automatically generated and mailed as soon as the citation is filed in court. So my guess is that by the time sorvis made it to court, the courtesy notice was already sent, he/she requested additional information to be mailed to him/her, perhaps blank trial by declaration forms... Who knows.

I have never heard of this 'lady' who said she would mail any form of legal documentation to an unknown address that is not listed with the DMV or on your licence...

Well, if it is your case, and you happen to be temporarily at a different address... Or if you noticed that your address was entered wrong on the citation, or if your license happened to have the old address and that ended up on the citation and from there into the court system, then sure, you certainly can contact the court and request any future documents to be mailed to you!

That "lady" is more often referred to as Madame Clerk!

The officer was coming toward me on the other side of the road and said I was doing 84 in a 55 zone.

84 in 55 is very likely to trigger a "mandatory court appearance" so it would be in your best interest to contact the court to see if this is the case here and do this BEFORE you leave the area.

The part I am not understanding is that you were cited for 29miles in excess of the maximum speed limit (probably on a 2 lave undivided highway) and in violation of CVC 22349(b); officer probably used Radar in moving mode... What is it that you're contesting? What sort of defense are you planning?

Also, keep in mind that if that court does in fact offer community service in lieu of a fine, the community service will have to be performed in THAT community... How do you plan on doing that if you're leaving to So Cal in 6 days?

 

[sovris]

Just to clarify, I went to the traffic division at the court to request information on the amount of the fine. The clerk told me she did not have access to this but would try to have the info mailed to me where I am staying here. It hasn't arrived. I plan to return to the courthouse asap to inquire further. Hopefully all available information will be available to me there at this time.

 

[sovris]

Went back to the courthouse and talked to another clerk who told me I could do the trial by declaration, but he said there is a walk-in court here and I could walk in to see the judge and request a fine reduction and traffic school. Does anyone who has more knowledge/experience with this area of the law have a suggestion about which is more likely to be successful? I don't have any previous traffic violations on my record. How likely is a judge to grant a fine reduction and what sort of reduction would be expected on a $600 ticket? Thanks for your feedback.

 

[asiny]

Does anyone who has more knowledge/experience with this area of the law have a suggestion about which is more likely to be successful? I don't have any previous traffic violations on my record. How likely is a judge to grant a fine reduction and what sort of reduction would be expected on a $600 ticket? Thanks for your feedback.

Me? I would personally be at the court- especially with the option of the possibility of a walk-in to be heard now instead of stretching it out longer.

With no priors, it really depends on the judge. There is no 'no prior then the judge will reduce it' rule... they could easily impose the entire fine regardless.