The reality of the situation is this: if you drive in California, you will get tickets. It's nearly impossible to follow the full letter of the law without ever making a mistake. So whether it's now or in the future, you're going to want to know what this who traffic ticket plays out in court with the lawyers, judges, districts attorneys, cops, and defense attorneys.

In short:

The California DMV uses a point system to determine whether or not you stay eligible to have a California drivers license. If you are stopped by a police officer and you receive a traffic ticket, under the California Vehicle Code (CVC), you could wind up with a point, or multiple points, on your driving record. If your get too many points, you will need the counsel of a traffic ticket lawyer. Under CVC Section 12810.5, your license will be suspended if you obtain: four points in one year, six points in two years, or 8 points in three years.

In addition, points on your license will cause your insurance rates to go up. We have had clients that have had their rates increase by over $1,000 in a single year after receiving a few tickets. Over the course of three years, it can be several thousand dollars, especially if you like driving the latest and greatest models on the road.  The riskier your insurance company views you as a driver, the higher your insurance rates will go.

When we are retained on for a California traffic ticket case, we are often able to negotiate a reduction of the charges to a non-point violation. As a traffic ticket lawyer, I can tell you that without a point on your driving record, you are unlikely to face any repercussions besides a fine. It's like an expensive parking ticket. It still sucks to get a parking ticket, but it beats the hell out of dealing cops and judges and the DMV. And most important, it keeps the DMV away from you, because we do not want to building up points against you to trigger a license suspension.

A skilled California traffic ticket lawyer can often work with the prosecutor, officer and district attorney to get the ticket reduced to a non-moving, non-point infraction. When we're really rocking and rolling, sometimes we even just get the cases dismissed entirely.

Resolving the cases works through the same process of plea bargaining used in criminal cases. Compared to pleading guilty or losing at trial, pleading to a non-point violation will keep your insurance rates low, and keep you on the road. In fact, you won't even have to do traffic school–instead you can swiftly move forward with your life.