TRAFFIC
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E-Mail the Court
To obtain information about your court case related to a traffic or non-traffic infraction citation, please send an email to the Superior Court of California, County of Inyo TRAFFIC email address: inyo.traffic@inyocourt.ca.gov
Include your full name, address, telephone number, date of citation, citation number, and court case number, if available, in all email requests for information.
Please be advised, every effort will be made to answer traffic emails within 1 business day. Please allow this time to pass before calling the Court or re-submitting your email request.
THIS EMAIL ADDRESS IS ONLY TO BE USED FOR TRAFFIC AND NON-TRAFFIC INFRACTION CITATION CASES.
Communications related to Felony, Misdemeanor, Family Law, Civil or other court actions will NOT be addressed or answered through this email address.
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Correctable Offenses
Correctable Offenses will be dismissed by the court
if Proof of Correction and the $25.00 per correctable violation transaction fee is presented to the Court
before the due date. Processing clerks are authorized to grant a 30 day extension
to complete the correction of the violation. You must request the
extension before the appearance date on your citation. Requests can be
made by phone, or in person at the clerk's office during business hours.
Mechanical corrections may be obtained at any law enforcement office during
regular business hours. Should you choose not to provide Proof of
Correction you may do so by paying the full bail amount. Sale of the
vehicle does not relieve you of the responsibility for correcting the
violation(s).
Extensions
Arrangements for an extension can be made by phone,
in person or by mail BEFORE the due date shown on your courtesy
notice or citation. The person who received the citation must
make the request. If you need an extension beyond the time
period the clerks are authorized to grant, you must contact the
Court in order to appear before the Judge to request additional
time. To request an extension in person you must come to the
office during business hours before the due date shown on your
courtesy notice or citation. To request an extension by phone
you must do so before the due date shown on your courtesy notice or
citation.
Court ordered fines may be paid by mail or in
person. To insure your case is credited correctly, write the docket
number on your check. Checks or Money Orders should be made payable
to: The Superior Court of California, County of Inyo. The clerk
may grant a 30 day extension to complete corrections on your citation or
to allow you time to save the money to pay your fine. Extensions
will not be granted to anyone who has been ordered to attend traffic
school or has Court ordered fines.
Arraignment
You May Enter One Of The Following Pleas:
GUILTY: You
admit to the violation(s). This will result in a conviction
once you enter your plea.
NO CONTEST: You neither admit or deny the violation(s) occurred. This
plea is treated the same as a guilty plea and the violation(s) will
appear as a conviction on your record.
NOT GUILTY: You deny the violation(s) and want to appear with
the citing officer(s) present. Notification will be sent to
citing officer(s) to appear. Please note that if you fail to
appear, you may be charged with a misdemeanor (40508(a)VC) and a
warrant may be issued. A DMV hold may be placed on your
driver's license.
The trial will be presided over by a Judge. The officer(s)
will be subpoenaed to present any factual evidence. At this
time, you must also be prepared to produce all evidence, documents,
or witnesses to support your case. A court trial can be
requested at your arraignment or you can request a court trial
without appearing for arraignment. The following requirements
must be met to qualify for a court trial without appearing for
arraignment: Full bail must be paid, violation(s) must be
infractions only and you must enter a "Not Guilty" plea in writing
Vehicle Code Section 40902
allows a defendant to contest citations in writing, without having to make
a personal court appearance. This procedure is called a "trial by
declaration." Trial by written declaration are available in cases
involving infraction violations of the Vehicle Code or of local ordinances
adopted under the Vehicle Code, only.
If you wish to appear on
your citation, you must appear on the due date and time indicated on your
citation. Judges are only available for arraignments on specific
dates and times. An arraignment is the initial appearance and
hearing before the court. At this time, the charges are presented,
and the opportunity to enter a plea is given. The bail amount may be
set and a future appearance may be scheduled. The citing officer(s)
will not be present.
Failure
to Appear
Failure to Appear holds cannot be continued. You may request an
arraignment date for Failure to Appear, however, the DMV holds will not be
released unless the fine is paid in full, by cash or money order or you appear
in court. Failure to Pay holds cannot be released unless the fine is paid
in full with cash or money order. You cannot request a modification to
release hold for Failure to Pay. If you know the amount of your fine and
wish to pay in person please note you may pay at either of the address listed at
the top of the page during business hours. Please provide clerk with your
docket number and correct address. If you pay by mail and need a receipt,
please send a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Traffic School
Eligibility Requirements:
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You have a valid driver's license at
the time you were cited.
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You have NOT attended traffic school on a prior
citation within 18 months of your present citation.
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You were not cited for driving 25 mph over the posted speed limit.
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Your citation is for a moving violation and does not require a mandatory
appearance or have a misdemeanor charge.
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Your citation does not include any charges for alcohol or drugs.
If you meet these
requirements and wish to attend traffic school you may be required to pay
an additional court fee of $52.00, PLUS the amount of the bail indicated on your
courtesy notice. Checks may be made payable to The Superior Court of
California, County of Inyo. There will be a separate fee collected
by the traffic school you choose to attend. Upon the Court receiving
proof of completion of traffic school in a timely manner, your citation
will be dismissed. A traffic school dismissal is reported to DMV and
should appear on your non-public record, which is not accessible to your
insurance company. You may attend ANY DMV approved
school in the state. Schools are listed in the phone book.
Court offices also have a list of approved traffic schools. We are
now accepting some Internet Traffic Schools and Home Study Courses.
If you fail to attend court
ordered traffic school, return the Certification of Completion within 60
days of order and/ or payment, or decide not to attend, the fee will be
converted to bail, bail will be forfeited and no further proceedings will
be held and the violation will show on your driving record. Your
automobile insurance may be adversely affected. If you do not
complete traffic school the $52.00 fee will not be refunded to you. Approval to attend traffic school must be obtained from the court prior to
attending. Should you attend traffic school without approval, and
you are not eligible under this Court's guidelines, the case will NOT be reported as a traffic school dismissal, but
as a conviction. If a party has approval from the Court, but has
attended traffic school within the past 18 months, the traffic school
dismissal will appear on your public record and will be accessible to your
insurance company.
For a list of DMV approved internet, home study and classroom courses, go to:
http://dmv.ca.gov/OLINQ2/welcome.do
or call (916) 229-3126.
Trial by Declaration
Vehicle Code Section 40902 allows a defendant to contest citations in writing, without having to make a personal court appearance. This procedure is called a “trial by declaration.” Trials by written declaration are available in cases involving infraction violations of the Vehicle Code or of local ordinances adopted under the Vehicle Code only. The following must be met
to qualify for a trial by declaration: Full bail must be paid,
violation(s) must be infractions only and no failure to appear or failure
to pay fine(s) on the case.
To request a “trial by declaration” read TR-200 INSTRUCTIONS TO DEFENDANT (Trial by Written Declaration). Prepare a Judicial Council Form TR-205 REQUEST FOR TRIAL BY WRITTEN DECLARATION (Trial by Written Declaration-Traffic) and submit the completed form to the Court at the address shown below. You must include the full bail amount when submitting your TR-205 form to the Court for consideration. You must submit the bail amount and TR-205 to the Court no later than thirty (30) days from the date of this correspondence.
Page two (2) of the TR-205 form provides your opportunity to explain the facts of your case and tell the Judge why you believe you are not guilty.
The law enforcement officer issuing the citation will be notified to prepare a declaration as to the facts of the case.
The TR-205 form and declarations will be submitted to the Judge for ruling. You will be notified of the Judge’s decision by mail.
To obtain a fillable copy of the TR-200 and TR-205 form go to the California Courts Online Self-Help Center www.legalselfhelp.ca.gov and click on the forms tab, select traffic, select the forms you need to complete, or www.courts.ca.gov and scroll down to traffic, choose the forms related to your case.
IF YOU PAY FOR YOUR WRITTEN TRIAL BY DECLARATION BY CREDIT CARD, YOU MUST CHOOSE THE TRIAL BY DECLARATION OPTION AT THE TIME YOUR PAYMENT IS MADE. IF YOU DO NOT SPECIFY THIS PAYMENT IS FOR A WRITTEN TRIAL BY DECLARATION YOUR MONEY WILL BE FORFEITED AND A CONVICTION REPORTED TO DMV. Attach a copy of your receipt from Official Payments with your written declaration, when filing with the court.
Credit card or E-check payments for court fines and fees may be made through Official Payments:
https://www.officialpayments.com Official Payments Corporation charges a convenience fee to use this
service to make the payment. This charge is payable to Official Payments and is separate from the primary obligation you will pay the court.
