Can you do community service to pay off a ticket

Do carpool tickets affect insurance? No, this ticket will not affect California insurance premiums. California regulations only allow insurance companies to adjust insurance rates based on traffic violations that relate to the safe operation of a vehicle which are those that carry points. Does a carpool ticket go on your record? Thus, if convicted of the offense, you will not receive a point on your DMV record, so there is no need to go to traffic school to keep the point off of your DMV record.

How much is a carpool lane ticket? What do you do when you get a carpool ticket? But if the ticket if for being in a carpool lane and not having 2 or more persons and you want to contest the ticket, you need to convince the judge that the officer ticketed the wrong vehicle. You can do this by cross-examining the officer.

Thus, for this ticket, you will probably want to contest it in a court trial. What is the message of The Bluest Eye? How do I reset my key fob after replacing the battery? Co-authors 5. Sometimes the evidence is so clear that the person committed an offense that trial is not an option for success. In those cases, if a person cannot afford a deferral fee to keep the traffic ticket off their record the options are limited.

The Legislature has outlined a few options available to those who are struggling financially to help resolve the traffic ticket without having the cases go into warrant status. These options, if chosen have consequences however that both attorneys and defendants must be aware of before recommending or choosing.

If would rather have an experienced lawyer try to assist you with your traffic tickets, we may be able to help. The Code of Criminal Procedure specifically allows for a judge to consider community service for those who have financial difficulties.

The specific code section is Article That section is stated in part below:. This word is important because it does not force the judge to accept community service as payment for fines. For this reason, you need to be able to establish your need for community service in a way that is tangible and understandable.

If you are making a living below the poverty line and have income tax forms to establish this, then take those documents to the court to prove such. The fines are set by City ordinance or in the Municipal Court fine schedule. What happens at arraignment? You are not admitting guilt, but you are allowing the judge to find you guilty.

Your case will be set for trial, and the City will be required to prove that you committed the offense s beyond a reasonable doubt. What happens at trial? At trial, the city has the burden to prove that you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The City Prosecutor will call witnesses to testify against you, and you will have the right to cross-examine each witness. You are also allowed to call witnesses or testify on your own behalf. After all the evidence is presented, the Municipal Court Judge will enter a finding of guilty or not guilty.

There are no jury trials in Municipal Court. You have the right to have an attorney represent you at trial, but you are not required to have an attorney. What happens at sentencing? In most cases, the judge will impose your sentence upon entering a plea of guilty or no contest at arraignment, or immediately following a conviction at trial.

Depending on the offense s , the judge may impose jail time, fines, fees, restitution, community service, etc. Can I speak to a City Prosecutor about my case? Can I have an attorney represent me in court? You have the right to representation by an attorney in all Municipal Court cases. If you are charged with an offense that carries the possibility of jail time, you must decide whether to proceed with or without an attorney.

You must hire your own attorney, unless the Municipal Court Judge appoints one for you. To ask the Judge to appoint an attorney for you, you must complete the financial affidavit and an application for appointed defense services.

You have the right to appeal the conviction to the District Court. You must file a written Notice of Appeal with the Municipal Court within 14 days of your conviction. Can I change my arraignment date? Ask about traffic school. The judge may permit you to take a traffic school course instead of paying all or part of your ticket.

However, it is important to ask the judge about this option before paying to enroll in a class because this is not always an option. Offer community service. You may be able to perform community service instead of paying your fine if you cannot afford it. Again, it would be up to the judge to grant your request.