Traffic Tickets: Superior Court of California, County of Kern

TRAFFIC LINKS

Superior Court of California, County of Kern

Case Types:

superior court home / traffic tickets

Traffic Tickets

Overview of Process
          Traffic Violations Processed by Other Agencies (DUI, Parking Tickets and Juvenile Tickets)
          Mandatory Appearance Tickets
          Non-Mandatory Appearance Tickets
          Proof of Insurance (VC 16028)
          Proof of Correction Violations (fix-it tickets)
          Photo-Enforced Red Light Information
          Extensions
Traffic School
Payment Options
Traffic Self-Help Center (California Courts/Judicial Branch Website - opens new window)

Overview of process

Within a few days of getting the traffic ticket, you should receive a Courtesy Notice indicating your fine amount or, if a mandatory appearance is required, your court appearance date and time. You should receive the appearance notice at least 10 days prior to the appearance date. Remember, should you fail to receive a Courtesy Notice, appear on or before the appearance date given on your citation.

The Courtesy Notice will indicate whether the violation(s) require a mandatory court appearance. The rest of the process is different depending on whether a mandatory court appearance is required.

Traffic Violations Processed by Other Agencies
Mandatory Appearance Violations
Non-Mandatory Appearance Violations
Proof of Insurance (VC 16028)
Proof of Correction Violations
Photo-Enforced Red Light Information
Extensions

Traffic Violations Processed by Other Agencies

DUI (Driving Under the Influence) violations are handled by the Criminal Department.
Parking tickets are not handled by the Traffic Division. For information on a parking ticket, contact the law enforcement agency listed on the ticket.
Juvenile traffic infractions, which were previously handled by Juvenile Court, are now handled by the Traffic Division. Juvenile traffic misdemeanors are still handled by Juvenile Court.

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Mandatory Appearance Violations

Mandatory appearance violations require your appearance in Court on the date/time/location indicated on your citation/Courtesy Notice.

For all traffic citations other than unlicensed driver (VC 12500(a)), if you are unable to appear on this date, you may contact the Clerk's office (via phone or by visiting) to receive a single 30-day extension.

If your ticket originated in the Metropolitan area, appear at the Metropolitan Division (1215 Truxtun Avenue) on the date indicated.

If the ticket originated outside the Metropolitan area, go to the court branch listed on your Courtesy Notice on the date indicated.
Court Divisions/Locations/Hours

When appearing in Court, proper attire is required. Shoes and a shirt must be worn and tank tops, hats and shorts are not permitted. How to Prepare for a Court Appearance

If you fail to appear in court by the due date indicated on your Courtesy Notice and did not request an extension, you may be subject to:

an additional Failure to Appear charge which is a misdemeanor and punishable by a fine, or jail, or both,
a Civil Assessment of $300.00 pursuant to PC 1214.1.

In addition, the Department of Motor Vehicles may withhold the issuance or renewal of your driver's license and may revoke or suspend your driving privilege.

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Non-Mandatory Appearance Violations

If the Courtesy Notice does not indicate Mandatory Appearance, options are to:

Pay the traffic ticket. If you select this option, the traffic ticket will remain on your driving record. Payment options
If eligible, attend Traffic School. Details on Traffic School
Appear in court

If your ticket originated in the Metropolitan area and you wish to appear in Court as a walk-in, come to the Clerk's Office (1215 Truxtun, First Floor) at one of the following times on or before the due date on your Courtesy Notice:

For Morning session (Monday - Friday) 7:30 AM
For Afternoon session (Monday - Friday) 10:45 AM
For Night Court (*2nd and 4th Wednesdays only) by 4:00 PM
    *2006 Exception: Due to the 2006 holidays, November and December Night
      Court will be November 1, 2006, November 15, 2006, December 6, 2006,
      and December 20, 2006.

If the ticket originated outside the Metropolitan area, go to the court branch listed on your Courtesy Notice on the date indicated.
Court Divisions/Locations/Hours

If appearing in Court, proper attire is required. Shoes and a shirt must be worn and tank tops, hats and shorts are not permitted. How to Prepare for a Court Appearance

If you choose to appear in Court, but are unable to appear on or before the date indicated on your citation/Courtesy Notice, you may contact the Clerk's office (via phone or by visiting) to receive a single 30-day extension. Extensions will not be granted for you have been cited for VC 12500(a) (unlicensed driver).

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Proof of Insurance (VC 16028)

Section 16028 of the Vehicle Code requires "every driver and every owner of a motor vehicle" to be in possession of proof of financial responsibility at all times.

Section 16028 requires that drivers present proof of financial responsibility upon the demand of a peace officer. Drivers can be cited for failure to present such proof when requested.

If you receive a citation for no proof of insurace at the scene of an accident, you must appear in court.

A person cited for violation of this section (16028) can have the violation dismissed by either:

Personally appearing before the clerk of the court designated on the citation, and:
- presenting proof of financial responsibility showing that the driver was in compliance with this law at the time ticket was issued
- paying a $10 processing fee
Mailing this proof and the $10 payment (payable to Kern County Superior Court) to the court.

Acceptable proofs of financial responsibility are any of the following, per subdivision (B) of VC 16028:

The name of the insurance or surety company that issued a policy or bond for the vehicle that meets the requirements of Section 16056 and is currently in effect, and the number of the insurance policy or surety bond.
If the owner is a self-insurer, as provided in Section 16052 or a depositor, as provided in Section 16054.2, the certificate or deposit number issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
An insurance covering note, as specified in Section 382 of the Insurance Code.
A showing that the vehicle is owned or leased by, or under the direction of, the United States or any public entity, as defined in Section 811.2 of the Government Code.

Subdivision (d) of 16020 prescribes that the "evidence of financial responsibility" will be in writing, and established by writing the name of the insurance company or surety company and the policy number on the vehicle registration card issued by the department.

Presenting false evidence of financial responsibility is a misdemeanor punishable by fine and/or jail time. Penalties are listed in Section 16029 of the Vehicle Code (opens new window).

If insurance was obtained after the citation date, an appearance in court with proof of correction is mandatory. If you opt not to appear in court, you will be charged for the entire bail amount for the violation.

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Proof of Correction Violations (fix-it tickets)

Proof of correction violations (required under VC 40610(B)) will be dismissed once the following have occurred:

The item is corrected (e.g., the taillight is fixed)
An authorized representative signs the citation certifying that the problem was corrected. Authorized representatives include:
- Any station licensed to inspect and certify for the violation
- Department of Motor Vehicles (for registration)
- Police and California Highway Patrol agencies
The signed-off citation is submitted with a $10 processing fee, to the Court

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Photo-Enforced Red Light Information

Bakersfield implemented the photo-enforced red light in March 2003. Cameras are used to enforce red light violations by taking photographs of the intersection when the light turns red.

Photo-enforced red light citations are issued by the Bakersfield City Police Department to the registered owner of the vehicle that is on file with the Department of Motor Vehicles. The Superior Court processes photo-enforced red light violations the same as any other red light violation.

If you receive a photo-enforced red light citation or notice of violation and you were not the driver, you must follow the instructions on the citation or notice of violation and complete the accompanying form to identify the driver who committed the violation. If you need further assistance, either go to the Bakersfield Police Department or call them at (661) 326-3882. Failure to respond to the citation or notice of violation may result in further penalties such as additional fines or driver's license holds.

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Extensions

For all traffic citations other than unlicensed driver (VC 12500(a)), if you are unable to appear on the date given on the original citation, you may contact the Clerk's office (via phone or by visiting) to receive a single 30-day extension.

You may not receive a 30-day extension if you have been cited for VC12500(a). (unlicensed driver).

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Traffic School

Eligibility
Overview/Process
          Request Traffic School/Pay Bail Amount
          Choose a traffic school
          Attend traffic school
          Submit proof that you completed traffic school to the Court

Eligibility

If you meet the following requirements, you may be eligible to attend Traffic School:

You must not have attended traffic school on a prior citation issued within 18 months of the issue date of your present citation.
You have a valid driver's license.
You must not have been cited for exceeding the maximum or reasonable speed by more than 25 miles per hour or as determined by the judicial officer.
The citation must not require a mandatory court appearance. (This information will be listed on the Courtesy Notice.)
The due date on your ticket must not be past.
As of September 20, 2005, if you have a commercial driver's license, you are not eligible for traffic school.

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Overview/Process

If you meet the requirements and wish to attend Traffic School, you will be required to complete the following steps in the order listed:

Pay bail amount and fee
Choose a traffic school
Attend the traffic school
Submit proof that you completed traffic school to the Court

Upon the court receiving proof of such completion, your case will be dismissed and the violation will not appear on your driving record.

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Pay Bail Amount and Fee

This can be done in person or via mail.

The bail amount is the amount indicated on your Courtesy Notice and is payable to Kern County Superior Court
The Traffic School administrative fee is $36.00 payable to Kern County Superior Court.
Payment options
Traffic Court Mailing Address

Upon receipt of your payment and Traffic School request, the Court will:

Provide you with further instructions including a list of D.M.V. certified schools in your area
Give you a future date of approximately 60 days to complete Traffic School.

If you send your request/payment via mail, the above information will be mailed to you.

Do not attend Traffic School prior to paying the bail amount and Traffic School Administrative fees. If you attend prior to payment of the bail amount and said fees, your traffic school completion certificate will not be accepted by the Court.

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Choose a Traffic School

Upon receipt of your request for Traffic School, the Court will provide you with information about Traffic Schools in your area. Options for Traffic School include:

Instructor-based traffic school
Home-study courses
Video-based traffic school
Internet-based traffic school

For more information on Traffic School, call (661) 868-2382.

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Attend Traffic School

Contact the school and arrange to attend a session. Traffic Schools are private businesses and, as such, charge fees to attend. You must complete traffic school and submit the certificate of completion to the Court on or before the due date given to you by the Court.

If you choose to attend an Internet traffic school you must take the test in front of a notary or go to a proctored location. Details for each Internet traffic school are available on their Web site.

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Submit the proof that you completed traffic school to the Court

When you complete Traffic School, you will be provided with proof of completion. Once you receive this proof, submit it to the court (in person or via mail). Upon the court receiving proof of such completion, your case will be dismissed and the violation will not appear on your driving record.

Do not attend Traffic School prior to paying the bail amount and Traffic School Administrative fees. If you attend prior to payment of the bail amount and said fees, your traffic school completion certificate will not be accepted by the Court.

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Payment Options

Option	Valid payment methods	Additional information
By phone	Major credit card (see list)	(661) 868-2382 Available 24 hours a day 7 days a week
By mail	Major credit card (see list) Check/money order PLEASE DO NOT MAIL CASH	Mailing address
By drop box	Major credit card (see list) Check/money order PLEASE DO NOT PUT CASH IN DROP BOX	Drop box locations (Opens new page)
In person	Major credit card (see list) Check/money order Cash	Office location & hours

Additional Information:

Make checks and/or money orders payable to Kern County Superior Court. To insure your payment is credited to your case, always write your case number on your check and/or money order.
Acceptable credit cards are:
- Visa
- Discover Card
- American Express
Traffic Division mailing address for:
- Metro Division
  Traffic Division
  Superior Court of California, County of Kern
  Justice Building
  1215 Truxtun Avenue
  Bakersfield, CA 93301
- Taft/Maricopa Branch, South Division
  Traffic Division
  Superior Court of California, County of Kern
  311 Lincoln Street
  Taft, CA 93268
Traffic Division office location and hours (for in-person payments) for:
- Superior Court of California, Metropolitan Division, Justice Building
  1215 Truxtun Avenue, 1st Floor (to left after go through metal detectors)
  Bakersfield, CA 93301
- Taft/Maricopa Branch, South Division
  311 Lincoln Street
  Taft, CA 93268

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If you still have questions, e-mail Traffic.

Superior Court of California, County of Kern court employees are prohibited from giving legal advice per section 24004 and 68082 of the Government Code. In addition, court employees may not give advice as to which legal forms to use or how to complete the forms.

Last Modified
2/15/2008

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