Q: I am currently fighting a ticket through trial by written declaration and it has been a while and im awaiting a decision over a month. Does this mean the officer submitted documents? Is there a way to know if the officer ended up submitting anything? I know the easiest way for dismissal is for them to do nothing which is why im asking.

A: You can follow the status of your case on the court’s website. Keep up on it because you have ONLY 21 days from the date of your verdict to file a Trial de Novo. I have seen cases where the court doesn’t notify the defendant of the guilty verdict, more than 21 days pass, and then it’s impossible to contest further.

You will not be told if the officer submitted any documents unless you file for discovery.
You will find out soon enough if the officer submitted an officer’s declaration: you’ll get your verdict, and likely not in your favor unless your declaration was super awesome, and perhaps not even then.

Q: I read the 12 step guide and found out that most clerical errors will not get a ticket dismissed. The only discrepancy I noticed on my ticket is that the officer wrote the model of the car in the “make” section and wrote nothing in the model section. I understand this is a clerical error, but I have no other ideas on how to fight this ticket and increase the odds of getting it dismissed. If I go to court, is requesting deferred adjudication a good idea? Any help is appreciated, thanks!

A: You can argue the officer’s point of view did not permit to see you come to a complete stop. You can argue that the officer’s view was obstructed. You can argue that you stopped behind the limit line, where the officer couldn’t see you. Etc. There are plenty of strategies as well as examples of how to use them on the Ticket Assassin.

Q: So about 9-10 months ago I got a ticket.

Now that the initial due date is about 3-4 weeks, I am planning to write a TBWD with the very basic response of “I demand the prosecution prove its case.” (probably not winnable, but to stall time).

The thing is, if I were to lose the TBWD, would that be reported right away to DMV? I don’t want my car insurance rates to go up as a result of losing the TBWD.

I will be planning to do Trial De Novo anyway if I were to go TBWD and request for traffic school, but in the meanwhile, is my concern valid at all? Thanks.

A:“I am planning to write a TBWD with the very basic response of “I demand the prosecution prove its case.” (probably not winnable, but to stall time).”

Instead of writing your Trial by Written Declaration in the most half-assed way possible, why don’t you try to win with it? People win with them a good percentage of the time, especially when the evidence is presented well, with photos, diagrams, proper witness statements, and other evidence.

reply: I would, but I don’t have any evidence at all to win the case. Should I even bother doing TBWD at all in this case?

Q: Took a left turn into a parking lot drive and was literally pulled over on the parking lot by a cycle officer who wrote a ticket for an Illegal U-Turn in Business District. I have read the 12-step guide but am not sure what to write in my tbwd; to either ask for proving of case or write my own declaration. Any suggestions on how to handle this based on how often you see PD or Sheriffs claiming an illegal u-turn when turning into a business drive?

A: If your turn was 90 degrees or less, then it counts as a simple left turn. If it’s over 90 degrees, it can be seen as a u-turn. In a business district, the first one is legal, the second is not.

If you can show with overhead maps (Google Earth) your path, it should really help your case.

Q:  I (17) was going 90 in a 65 on the 177 ( two lane desert road. I had the cruise set to 80 and went to pass a cement truck. The car in front of me passed the truck and I followed. I did not attempt to pass the car ahead of me. The car ahead of me was a cop and they pulled me over. I know that 25 over barely qualifies for traffic school but realistically decreasing my insurance is all that I am concerned with. I fully recognize that I was in violation of the law but mitigating the damage is what is important to me now. I really don’t want to make an in person appearance as I was four hours away from home. Thanks

Q: Hey so I just got a seatbelt ticket in LA county. Is it considered a non moving violation in the state. The officer said it was a non moving violation but online it says otherwise. Didn’t know if the laws change. Most importantly, Will it end up on my driving record?

A:  Seat belt tickets cost between $25 – $162 and carry no points if the driver and passenger are over the age of 16. If either the passenger or driver is under the age of 16 years-old then the ticket carries 3 DMV points which stay on your record for 3 years.

Q: 22349. I just got my First ticket I’m 26 yo. he said I was 103. he said he reduced to100mph in 65(1am) some guy was really close to my booty so I had sped up to gain distance. and it was dark so I didn’t slow down fast enough before passing CHP. He said I would get one point on my license. I am mostly concerned about my record. I will hire legal help. how bad is this situation? how difficult will this be able to fight? Thank you for any advise (read the 12 steps found my lawyer I want to work with)

A: A 22349 is a simple one-point ticket that you can dispatch with a Trial by Written Declaration.

Directions for how to do a Trial by Written Declaration are here. Access requires basic registration. The guides are free (sort of) but email support and some specific examples are available after a $25 contribution.

If these speeding cameras are profitable, you can bet your ass they will pop up like mushrooms all over the state.

California State Senator Pushes For Speeding Cameras In School Zones

IRVINE (CBSLA) — California Sen. Susan Rubio, D-Baldwin Park, has introduced a bill that would authorize local governments to install speeding cameras near school zones.

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The Ticket Assassin welcomes EFF into the fight against automated enforcement. It only took them twenty five years to join the fray.

One year ago, the California State Auditor released a damning report on the use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) by local law enforcement agencies that confirmed concerns EFF has raised for years. Police are using these camera systems to collect enormous amounts of sensitive data on Californians’ travel patterns. Yet they often haven’t followed the basic requirements of a 2015 state law, S.B. 34, passed to protect privacy and civil liberties from ALPRs. While the auditor only conducted a deep-dive into four jurisdictions—Los Angeles, Fresno, Sacramento County and Marin County—all were found to be noncompliant. Investigators concluded that the problem was likely widespread among the hundreds of local agencies using the technology.

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Watch the video.

The Ticket Assassin repeats his recommendation that you get a dashcam that shows the front and rear of your vehicle. Also, your odds of getting a citation go way, way up if you exit your vehicle during a traffic stop. Don’t do it.

Read (and print out) the Ticket Assassin’s Visor Guide for Traffic Stops.

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