Fight Your Ticket & Win in California

Table of Contents......Page 9
Introduction: 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 43
The “Basic Speed Law” (VC  §§  22350, 22351)......Page 44
“Technical” Defenses to Basic Speed Law Charge......Page 45
Substantive Defenses to Basic  Speed Law Charge......Page 51
Speeding on Bridges, Tunnels, and Overpasses (VC §  22405)......Page 55
Exceeding Maximum Speed Limits—55 to 70 mph (VC  §§  22349, 22356)......Page 56
All About Radar......Page 58
“Laser” Detectors......Page 69
5. Other Moving Violations......Page 71
Not Stopping......Page 73
Improper Turning (VC  §§  22100–22106)......Page 74
Being Rude (Miscellaneous  Violations)......Page 78
Non-DUI Alcohol-Related Offenses......Page 86
Violations Involving Accidents and  Insurance......Page 89
6. Tickets That Don’t Appear on Your Record......Page 93
Parking Tickets......Page 94
Equipment, License, and Registration  Violations......Page 96
Other Nonmoving Violations......Page 99
Federal Government Tickets......Page 102
7. The Serious Offenses (Misdemeanors)......Page 105
Generally......Page 106
Common Vehicle Code Misdemeanors......Page 107
Reduction of Misdemeanor Offense to Infraction......Page 118
8. Driving Under the Influence (DUI)......Page 119
The Offenses......Page 121
Penalties the Court Can Impose......Page 125
How Alcohol Interacts With Your Body......Page 128
Blood or Breath Tests for Alcohol......Page 132
License Suspension Penalties  and  Procedures......Page 138
Dealing With a DUI Charge......Page 139
9. Should You Fight Your Ticket/Should You Get a Lawyer?......Page 147
Things to Consider......Page 148
Do You Need a Lawyer?......Page 153
10. Fighting an Infraction Citation......Page 161
Preliminary Steps for Fighting an  Infraction......Page 162
Contacting the Court Clerk......Page 177
Arraignment......Page 180
Requests You Can Make at  Arraignment......Page 184
Motions After Arraignment......Page 195
Courts Refusing to Hear Motions Before Trial......Page 240
11. Preparing for Trial......Page 243
Overview of Formal Infraction Trial With Officer Present......Page 244
Getting Your Materials  Together......Page 245
Motions You May Want to Make Before Trial......Page 254
Preparing to Deal With the Officer’s Testimony......Page 256
Testimony Presented on Your Behalf......Page 293
Cross‑Examination by the Prosecution......Page 299
Final Argument......Page 300
12. Trials Before a Judge (Without a Jury)......Page 301
Introduction......Page 302
Understanding the Courtroom......Page 303
Trial Procedure......Page 304
13. Handling a Misdemeanor Charge: Arraignment to Jury Trial......Page 315
Arraignment......Page 316
Making Deals......Page 318
Selecting the Jury......Page 319
Trial Procedure......Page 323
Jury Instructions......Page 325
Closing Arguments......Page 329
The Judge Instructs the Jury......Page 331
14. Sentencing......Page 333
Possible Sentences......Page 334
Motions to Vacate Sentence......Page 337
If You Appeal......Page 342
15. License Suspensions by the DMV......Page 343
Too Many Violations or Accidents......Page 344
Driving With a BAC of 0.08% or  More......Page 347
Refusal to Take a Blood, Breath, or Roadside “PAS” Test......Page 348
Automatic Suspension or Revocation......Page 350
Holding a License in  Abeyance......Page 353
16. Appealing a Conviction......Page 355
Possible Grounds for Appeal......Page 357
The Steps in an Appeal......Page 362
17. Staying Out of Trouble......Page 397
Avoiding the Traffic  Officer......Page 398
Being Pulled Over......Page 402
Talking to the Officer......Page 404
Arrests, Searches, and Seizures......Page 411
Accident Citations......Page 415
18. Where Do We Go From Here?......Page 417
Appendix: Blank Forms......Page 425
Index......Page 453
Book Registration......Page 471
Online Services......Page 472
Lawyer Directory......Page 473