California Traffic Attorney

John has resolved hundreds of traffic tickets matter throughout the state of California. An experienced attorney will help ensure that you obtain the best outcome possible based on the unique facts of your case.

The following are important factors that will influence how your case is resolved.

What County in California where the ticket was received – each County has different local rules and guidelines on how traffic cases are resolved. It is imperative you find an attorney who has experience resolving traffic tickets in the County where the ticket was received. Resolution strategies in one county will not work in another county. John has conducted traffic trials in nearly all counties in California.

Miles per hour over the posted speed limit – How many MPH you were cited over the speed limit is of critical importance. It will determine the fine amount, whether or not you are eligible for traffic school, whether your license will be suspended if you are found guilty, among other things. A good attorney knows the accuracy of each type of speed calculation method used by officers, and how the accuracy may be compromised based on various factors. A simple example is distance – a radar device loses accuracy if the car is too far from the officer’s radar gun when the measurement is taken.

Officer documentation – officers are required to bring documentation to traffic trials to prove what they are asserted. Such documentation may include officer training in equipment use and visual estimation, radar/lidar calibration, daily equipment check-logs, highway surveys, among others. Determining whether the officer brings all the required documentation to trial is the easy part. The harder part is determining if the documentation is the correct documentation and can be used to prove the officer’s case. A basic example: an officer comes to trial and brings his speed estimation training certificate with the date the course was completed. If the date of completion is too many years prior to the date of violation, the officer cannot show that he has been properly trained to use his speed determination equipment.

Whether there are correct violations – The citing officer will mark on your ticket if you have any correctible violation. Examples included tinted windows or no license plates. Normally, if you can correct the violations before the date of trial, they will be dismissed.  A good attorney will tell you how to fix the violations, how to obtain proof of correction, and will submit the documentation to the court on your behalf.

Whether or not there is an attractive pre-trial plea offer – Often the citing officer and/or the court will agree to make concessions should a plea of no contest be entered instead of taking the case to trial. For example, in exchange for a no contest plea, you will receive a reduced fine, or traffic school if you would not be eligible based on your cited speed. The hard part is determining whether accepting a plea deal is likely to result in a better outcome than going to trial. A good attorney will know what how other similar cases have resolved in the past. Furthermore, the attorney will speak with the officer and examine his evidence before a trial, to determine how strong of a case he has.