TRAFFIC COURT

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT IF YOU ARE NOT BEING HELPED AT A WINDOW AT
4 P.M., YOU MUST RETURN ANOTHER DAY TO TRANSACT YOUR BUSINESS WITH THE COURT. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY.

If you Received a Ticket, please read this Important Information Sheet.

Do You Have an Old Traffic Ticket? Learn More About the Traffic Amnesty Program.

Traffic Court deals with violations of traffic laws and other minor offenses of state and county ordinances. These violations are considered “infractions” and include, for example, speeding, cell phone violations, expired registrations and automobile equipment needing repair. Infractions are enforced by the issuance of citations (“tickets”) by law enforcement. Punishment for infractions requires payment of fines and does not carry any potential jail or prison time. Failure to pay traffic fines when due or respond to a citation can lead to additional penalties including imposition of a civil assessment and a DMV hold placed on your driver’s license.

Courtesy Notice

Read this important information on Courtesy Notices.

A courtesy notice is mailed to the address listed on the citation. This notice is usually received within 21 days from the date the citation was issued. The notice contains information about the requirements and options available for resolving the ticket, such as:

• Amount of the bail (fine) and due date;
• Proof of correction for compliance violations
• Court and Traffic School Information

If a courtesy notice has not been received, contact the Court. Failure to receive a notice is not a legal excuse for failing to take care of a citation. If you are unsure about your options, appear at the Court no later than the date listed at the bottom of your citation.

Failure to appear or resolve a citation on or before the due date may result in:

• A DMV hold against your driver’s license.
• A warrant issued for your arrest.
• A Civil Assessment of $300 in addition to the original bail (fine).

REASONS WHY YOU MAY NOT HAVE RECEIVED A COURTESY NOTICE:

1. The citation may still be in the hands of the officer who cited you.
2. Your latest address may not be updated with the Department of Motor Vehicles.
3. You may not have shown the officer your change of address card along with your driver’s license.
4. The address written on the citation may be incorrect or incomplete
5. The citation may have been sent back to the citing officer for correction.
6. A postal error.

IT IS NOT MANDATORY THAT THE COURT SEND YOU A COURTESY NOTICE. BY SIGNING THE CITATION, IN FRONT OF THE OFFICER, YOU HAVE AGREED TO TAKE CARE OF THE CITATION.

Civil Assessment

If You Fail to Appear In Court
Or Fail To Pay Your Citation,
It Could Cost You $300.

Read this important notice on Civil Assessments.

A civil assessment of $300 will be added to any traffic fine if you fail to post bail on time or fail to appear for your scheduled court date. On that date, all delinquent citations will be referred to the San Francisco Treasurer’s Office for collection.

California law permits the Court to impose a civil assessment of $300 against any individual who fails, after notice and without good cause, to appear in Court for any proceeding, or who fails to pay all or any portion of a fine ordered by the Court. The civil assessment is imposed in addition to, and separate from, any fine connected with a traffic citation.

Even if you later contest your citation and win, you still will be required to pay the civil assessment.

The Court has entered into an agreement with the Bureau of Delinquent Revenue (BDR) of the San Francisco Treasurer’s Office to collect unpaid fines and civil assessments. If you fail to appear or fail to pay your fine, the Court will refer your matter to BDR for immediate collection. The Court and BDR will use a number of methods to collect unpaid fees and the civil assessment. These include notice to the Department of Motor Vehicles to suspend your driver’s license, the garnishment or attachment of your wages, and other various collection methods.

Don’t neglect your obligation to the Court … it could cost you $300.

Appeals

If you disagree with the Court’s ruling after a traffic trial, you have the right to an appeal. The appeal must be filed within 30 days of the ruling. Go to Room 145, Hall of Justice, and request a certified original and two copies of your Minute Order and a copy of our packet titled “Instructions on Appeal Procedures for Infractions.” The packet covers non-parking traffic matters and contains the two forms you need to file your Appeal. Complete these forms and take your original and two copies to the Appeals clerk in Room 101, Hall of Justice, along with your Minute Order copies. After your paperwork is processed, you will receive a date for your hearing in the mail. Be aware that the fine ordered by the Court must be paid in Room 145 by the due date.

Correctable Violations – “Fix-It” Tickets

If you received a citation for a correctable violation, such as an expired registration or no proof of insurance, you must submit – by the date at the bottom of your citation or the due date on your courtesy notice – the proof of correction to the Court by mail or in person, along with a $25 fee per correctable violation.

If you received a citation for a mechanical violation, such as a broken tail light, you must correct the violation and then contact any law enforcement agency to arrange for an officer to verify and sign off on the correction. You must then mail, or bring to the Court, the signed citation along with the $25 fee.

If you were cited for a expired registration violation, mail a copy of your current registration or bring your current registration to the Court, along with the $25 fee.

If you were cited for a driver’s license violation, either bring to the Court or mail, a copy of your driver’s license, the citation signed off by the DMV and the $25 fee.

If you were cited for no proof of insurance, mail or bring to the Court, proof of insurance that you were insured on the date of the violation, along with the $25 fee. Valid proof of insurance must show the driver’s name, vehicle information and the insurance effective and expiration dates.

Night Court in Traffic

Effective August 31, 2009, the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco offers Traffic Night Court two nights a week, instead of five nights a week. Hearings may be scheduled at 5:30 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. on Mondays or Tuesdays. Traffic night court is limited to hearings such as first appearances, warrant protests, and motions.

• Interpreters & Special Services
  The Court will provide a foreign language interpreter, American Sign Language practitioner or special hearing devices for anyone requiring such assistance in the courtroom. It is best to request any special needs at the time you set your court hearing. These services are provided to you without cost.