LA Traffic Court & Misdemeanor Tips
Summary: Free traffic court and misdemeanor tips from attorneys working in Los Angeles Courthouses. How to find a warrant, what to do if you miss a court date, etc.
How to Find Out If you Have a Warrant:
If all you want to do is find out if you have a warrant, you need to get in touch with the court were you think you have a pending case that could produce a warrant. (All warrants come from pending cases). Although some courts allow on line access to warrant and case info, and most will give that info over the phone, the best way to get detailed information on a warrant and the case it comes from is by visiting the court clerk at the courthouse in person.
A Good Substitute for Petty Theft is Trespassing:
A person charged with a Petty Theft violation under Penal Code section 484 or 488 is not only facing jail time, but also a criminal record that can ruin great job opportunities for years. Because of the damage a theft conviction brings, the best approach in many cases is to try to get a reduction to a less serious violation. If there are problems with a case for the prosecutor, a defense attorney can often negotiate a compromise settlement called a "plea agreement". In the LA courts, a common plea agreement for defense attorneys is a substitution of the theft charge for a "disturbing` the peace" infraction under penal code section 415 or trespassing, which looks much better than "theft" on paper. Because of the possibility of reductions, Pleading guilty to a shoplifting or theft charge without a skilled lawyer is a bad idea. Get a Free Attorney Case Review for Shoplifting or Petty Theft.
If You Have a VC 40509.5 Hold Listed on the Court's Web Site, it Means Your Drivers License Is Suspended:
When a person misses a traffic court date in Los Angeles County Traffic Court, the court will notify DMV of the failure to appear pursuant to Vehicle Code section 40509.5 and DMV will then suspended the drivers license. To get the drivers license back, a defendant must appear in court to resolve the case, and go in person to DMV to pay a re issuance fee.
If You Have a Pending Warrant, Take Care of the Case Immediately:
Warrants can lead to instant arrest, the loss of a job, and a refusal by employers to consider you for employment. And every day that goes by with a warrant pending makes it more difficult to get a good result on the case. Because of this danger, it's stupid to ignore a warrant.
Traffic Court Case Info is On-Line in LA Courts, But Criminal Case Info is Not:
If you are trying to get information from the Los Angeles County traffic or criminal courts on a case, you will only find traffic court problems listed online. Persons looking for information on a criminal case (such as a DUI or theft charge) should call or visit the court clerk. If you are not sure if your problem is in the criminal division or traffic division, you need to check with both - because in LA they do not communicate effectively amongst themselves.
What to Do If You Missed a Court Date and Bail Was Forfeited:
About half of the people arrested on a misdemeanor case such as a DUI or Petty Theft will have to post bail to get out of jail by using a bail bond company. When a person with bail posted misses a court date, the court will take the money (called "Forfeited") and issue an arrest warrant with a new bail setting. If the problem is not solved quickly and carefully, jail will be the result. To get this type of warrant recalled, a defendant must get permission from the bail bond company to reinstate the bail, and then get the judge to agree to re post bail at the original amount. It's best to have an attorney do this work for you, but the steps in general are: 1) call bail bond company ; 2) go to court and request calendar setting for warrant case; 3) request that bail be reinstated without jail time; 4) get judge to sign reinstatement order (form usually prepared by bail bond company). Get a Free Attorney Case Review on a Bail Bond Forfeiture.
