Hello everyone.
I got a ticket a few days ago for running a red light. I was worried about my insurance going up, but I got a speeding ticket that I had dismissed some time ago that I think might have rendered me ineligible for traffic school dismissal. However, I was unsure of the date. I went to the Napa Superior Court today and spoke with a traffic division clerk, gave her the citation with my DL# etc, on it and asked her if she could tell me if I was eligible. She looked up the citation, said it just entered processing this morning and would be finished processing by next Tuesday at the latest, when I would be able to go online and look up the fine. She said I was eligible for traffic school and could sign up on the court website while paying my fine.
I suppose it is possible that I may still be eligible but I think she might be wrong. If her information says I am eligible, is that reliable? Is that all I need to know?
If something goes wrong, I read that I can either plead my case in a Trial by Written Declaration, explain to the judge my circumstances and request that "I would like to attend traffic school under California Vehicle Code 41501." In this case, it was around 11:10 pm, I had just gotten off work, and I accidentally started driving when the left turn arrow turned green. There was nobody turning left in the oncoming lane so I assumed the light was going to turn green, and when it didn't, I found myself in the middle of the intersection at a red light, and immediately stopped. I had no choice but to continue, and it just so happened that a police car was behind me, pulled me over and gave me the citation. Some luck, I had a good laugh over the astronomical chances of that.
Is that a feasable course of action? I have also read something about pleading no contest and stating my case...will this keep points off of my insurance?
Thank you in advance for your help!
I got a ticket a few days ago for running a red light. I was worried about my insurance going up, but I got a speeding ticket that I had dismissed some time ago that I think might have rendered me ineligible for traffic school dismissal. However, I was unsure of the date. I went to the Napa Superior Court today and spoke with a traffic division clerk, gave her the citation with my DL# etc, on it and asked her if she could tell me if I was eligible. She looked up the citation, said it just entered processing this morning and would be finished processing by next Tuesday at the latest, when I would be able to go online and look up the fine. She said I was eligible for traffic school and could sign up on the court website while paying my fine.
I suppose it is possible that I may still be eligible but I think she might be wrong. If her information says I am eligible, is that reliable? Is that all I need to know?
If something goes wrong, I read that I can either plead my case in a Trial by Written Declaration, explain to the judge my circumstances and request that "I would like to attend traffic school under California Vehicle Code 41501." In this case, it was around 11:10 pm, I had just gotten off work, and I accidentally started driving when the left turn arrow turned green. There was nobody turning left in the oncoming lane so I assumed the light was going to turn green, and when it didn't, I found myself in the middle of the intersection at a red light, and immediately stopped. I had no choice but to continue, and it just so happened that a police car was behind me, pulled me over and gave me the citation. Some luck, I had a good laugh over the astronomical chances of that.
Is that a feasable course of action? I have also read something about pleading no contest and stating my case...will this keep points off of my insurance?
Thank you in advance for your help!
