Fight Your Ticket & Win in California

Table of Contents......Page 9
Your Legal Companion for Fighting Your Ticket......Page 13
1. First Things......Page 15
Should You Fight Your Ticket?......Page 16
Overview Chart......Page 18
2. How to Read Your Ticket......Page 21
Are You Really Guilty?......Page 22
Other Information on Your Ticket......Page 24
Types of Tickets......Page 25
3. What Are the Consequences: Fines, Jail, Your “Record,” and Insurance......Page 29
Generally......Page 30
Overview of Specific Violations......Page 36
Out-of-State Tickets......Page 40
4. Speed Violations and Radar......Page 45
The “Basic Speed Law” (VC §§ 22350, 22351)......Page 46
“Technical” Defenses to Basic Speed Law Charge......Page 47
Substantive Defenses to Basic Speed Law Charge......Page 53
Speeding on Bridges, Tunnels, and Overpasses (VC § 22405)......Page 57
Exceeding Maximum Speed Limits—55 to 70 mph (VC §§ 22349 & 22356)......Page 58
All About Radar......Page 60
“Laser” Detectors......Page 71
5. Other Moving Violations......Page 73
Not Stopping......Page 75
Improper Turning (VC §§ 22100–22106)......Page 76
Being Rude (Miscellaneous Violations)......Page 80
Non-DUI Alcohol-Related Offenses......Page 88
Illegal Drug Use/Possession......Page 90
Violations Involving Accidents and Insurance......Page 91
6. Tickets That Don’t Appear on Your Record......Page 95
Parking Tickets......Page 96
Equipment, License, and Registration Violations......Page 98
Other Nonmoving Violations......Page 101
Federal Government Tickets......Page 104
7. The Serious Offenses (Misdemeanors)......Page 107
Generally......Page 108
Common Vehicle Code Misdemeanors......Page 109
8. Driving Under the Influence (DUI)......Page 121
The Offenses......Page 123
Penalties the Court Can Impose......Page 127
How Alcohol Interacts With Your Body......Page 130
Blood or Breath Tests for Alcohol......Page 134
License Suspension Penalties and Procedures......Page 140
Dealing With a DUI Charge......Page 141
9. Should You Fight Your Ticket/Should You Get a Lawyer?......Page 149
Things to Consider......Page 150
Do You Need a Lawyer?......Page 155
10. Fighting an Infraction Citation......Page 163
Preliminary Steps for Fighting an Infraction......Page 164
Contacting the Court Clerk......Page 180
Arraignment......Page 183
Requests You Can Make at Arraignment......Page 187
Motions After Arraignment......Page 194
Courts Refusing to Hear Motions Before Trial......Page 224
11. Preparing for Trial......Page 227
Overview of Formal Infraction Trial With Officer Present......Page 228
Getting Your Materials Together......Page 229
Motions You May Want to Make Before Trial......Page 236
Preparing to Deal With the Officer’s Testimony......Page 238
Testimony Presented on Your Behalf......Page 269
Final Argument......Page 275
12. Trials Before Judge (Without a Jury)......Page 277
Introduction......Page 278
Understanding the Courtroom......Page 279
Trial Procedure......Page 280
13. Handling a Misdeameanor Charge: Arraignment to Jury Trial......Page 291
Arraignment......Page 292
Making Deals......Page 294
Selecting the Jury......Page 295
Trial Procedure......Page 299
Jury Instructions......Page 301
Closing Arguments......Page 306
The Judge Instructs the Jury......Page 308
14. Sentencing......Page 309
Possible Sentences......Page 310
Motions to Vacate Sentence......Page 313
If You Appeal......Page 316
15. License Suspensions by the DMV......Page 317
Too Many Violations or Accidents......Page 318
Driving With a BAC of 0.08% or More......Page 321
Refusal to Take a Blood or Breath or Roadside “PAS” Test......Page 322
Automatic Suspension or Revocation......Page 324
Holding a License in Abeyance......Page 327
16. Appealing a Conviction......Page 329
Possible Grounds for Appeal......Page 331
The Steps in an Appeal......Page 336
17. Staying Out of Trouble......Page 359
Avoiding the Traffic Officer......Page 360
Being Pulled Over......Page 364
Talking to the Officer......Page 366
Arrests, Searches, and Seizures......Page 373
Preparing for Your Trial—Notes and Pictures......Page 377
Accident Citations......Page 378
18. Where Do We Go From Here?......Page 379
Appendix......Page 389
Informal Discovery Request......Page 391
Proof of Service by Mail......Page 393
Request for Trial by Written Declaration......Page 395
Request for Trial de Novo......Page 397
Demand for Court Report or Electronic Recording of Proceedings......Page 399
Peremptory Challenge......Page 401
Subpoena......Page 403
Subpoena Duces Tecum......Page 405
Notice of Appeal (Infraction)......Page 409
Proposed Statement on Appeal (Infraction)......Page 411
Index......Page 415