The Traffic Ticket - First Appearance

In Los Angeles County, when you receive a traffic ticket for a moving violation or other California Vehicle Code violation, you are required to sign the ticket. You are not admitting to guilt. Your signature promises that you will appear on or before the date on the ticket near or below your signature. Some people believe that the court will send you a "courtesy" notice to appear on a certain date. Do not fall into this trap! The court is not under any obligation to send you anything. If you fail to appear on or before the date on the ticket, most courts in Los Angeles County will cite you with a "failure to appear" which is a misdemeanor. The fine is steep, about $270.00. To avoid a failure to appear, you must either; 1)before the date on the ticket simply pay the fine; 2) go to the clerk's office and request a trial date (where you may be required to post bail before a trial date will be set); or simply appear on the date indicated. If you appear in court on the designated date, this first appearance is called an "arraignment." At the arraignment, you will be required to either;1) plead guilty where you will be assessed a fine; 2) plead no contest where you will be assessed a fine, or, 3) plead not guilty and a trial date will be set.
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