Does Garden Grove California Have Red Light Cameras

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More than than forty cities and counties throughout California utilize red-low-cal cameras as a traffic enforcement tool. If one of these cameras snaps your auto running a red light, you'll receive a commendation in the mail service that can toll you nigh $500. It is possible to fight a scarlet calorie-free ticket in California, although information technology may require a little time and attempt on your part. If the trial estimate doesn't make up one's mind in your favor and you lot still don't believe you should have to pay that hefty fine, you can as well effort to appeal.^[1]

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Read the citation carefully. If your vehicle triggers a scarlet-light camera, a commendation will exist mailed to your address within fifteen days of the incident. This citation provides information about the incident too as instructions on how to pay the fine or competition the ticket.^[two]
- Check the date and time of the incident, and review your ain schedule. This tin help you place the incident and figure out if you lot were driving your motorcar.
- Citations are sent to the registered possessor of the car. However, if you lot weren't driving your car when it triggered the camera, you aren't responsible for paying the ticket.
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Request photographs or videos of the incident. The cameras produce photos of your license tag equally yous are passing through the intersection, and may also have video of your car passing through the intersection. Typically you tin view these online.^[3]
- Your commendation will take information on what website to visit if y'all want to view the photos or videos of the incident.
- If the photos or videos aren't available online, you can asking them from the law enforcement agency that issued your citation. The name and address of that agency volition be listed on the citation.
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Submit an affidavit if yous weren't driving. Your citation includes an affidavit form you can use if you weren't driving your vehicle when the incident occurred. You must provide the proper noun and accost of the person who was driving so the citation can exist sent to them instead.^[4]
- You likewise must provide the driver's license number of the person who was driving. If yous don't take this information, fill out as much every bit you tin and leave the rest blank. The law enforcement bureau volition be able to wait it up.
4
Fourth dimension the yellow lite interval. California police force requires lights to stay yellow for a specified period of time before the light turns red. If you recall the yellow light being unusually short, you can return to the intersection and time it yourself.^[5]
- Take a cease watch and fourth dimension several cycles, then average the result you get. Compare your result to the required time listed in the California Transmission on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. You tin download a copy of that transmission at http://www.dot.ca.gov/trafficops/camutcd/.
- If the yellow light interval is shorter than the minimum required fourth dimension, yous have a defense confronting your scarlet light ticket.
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Cheque for warning signs. While you're at the intersection where the incident occurred, brand sure in that location is a warning sign posted inside 200 feet of the intersection. This sign should be visible to oncoming traffic, and clearly state that an automatic enforcement system is existence used.^[6]
- If there are not any alert signs, or if the alert signs aren't clearly visible, you may have a defense confronting your ruby light ticket. For case, the sign may have fallen downwardly, or may exist obscured by a tree branch.
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Visit the city or canton law enforcement website. Many law enforcement agencies provide information on the maintenance of their automatic enforcement systems to the public on their websites. You might as well find information about the locations of the ruby-red light cameras and the official timing for the yellow light intervals.
- If this information is bachelor, you lot can employ it as a starting point. However, if you want to fight your blood-red lite ticket you should however go to the intersection and check the information for yourself. Things might have changed since those readings were taken.
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Asking information on the maintenance of the organization. California state law requires automatic enforcement systems to be calibrated and inspected regularly. If this information is non available online, y'all can request it direct from the section.^[vii]
- Law enforcement agencies are required to provide this data to the public if it is requested. If y'all meet whatever issues, you lot may want to consult a traffic chaser. They can help you go the information you need.

1
Enter a plea of "not guilty" at arraignment. Your citation will have a engagement listed on information technology for you to announced in court. This date is your arraignment. Yous must announced at the courthouse listed and enter your plea of "not guilty" at that time if you want to fight the ticket.^[8]
- Some cities and counties may besides allow y'all to enter a "not guilty" plea online. Others merely allow you to pay the fine online – if y'all desire to fight the ticket, y'all accept to appear in court.
- If you demand an interpreter at the trial, asking one at your arraignment.
2
Organize your documents and prove for trial. At your trial, you'll be able to tell the judge why you lot shouldn't have to pay your ruby-red low-cal ticket. You lot tin can introduce concrete prove, and fifty-fifty call witnesses.^[9]
- For example, suppose you are arguing that the yellow light was too short. If you had a passenger in the car with you and they retrieve the xanthous light being brusque, you might bring them with you to testify on your behalf.
- If you're citing any laws or regulations, bring copies of them with y'all. For instance, if your argument is based on the yellow light interval, yous should bring a copy of the relevant portion of the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
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Pay your deposit. In some counties, you may exist required to make a deposit with the court in the corporeality of your bail for the citation. The deposit will never exist more the corporeality of your bail. If you are found non guilty, your eolith will be returned.^[10]
- Contact the court ahead of time to observe out what methods of payment are accustomed. Generally, you can pay with a certified cheque or money society. Almost courts don't take personal checks, and some may non take credit or debit cards.
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Appear in court for your trial. When you plead not guilty, your example will exist set for trial. Arrive at the courthouse at least a half hour early on. This volition give you time to go through security and find the right court room.^[11]
- Treat the occasion seriously. Go along your documents and show neat, and apparel as though you are going to a job interview or attending a religious service.
- Have a seat in the gallery, as traffic courts typically hear many cases in one session. Yous can motility to the front of the courtroom when your name is called.
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Present your case in court. One time your name is called, the approximate will give you an opportunity to explain why you shouldn't have to pay the fine for the red calorie-free ticket. Speak loudly and clearly, and tell your story in a logical, coherent way.^[12]
- Stick to the facts, and avoid whatever emotional pleas. The approximate has likely heard them all, and it won't assistance yous – information technology might even work against you.
- Treat the approximate with respect, and refer to them as "your honor." Using "sir" or "ma'am" may also be appropriate.
- Never interrupt the estimate. If they start talking, terminate and wait until they're finished. If they ask you a question, information technology's polite to inquire if yous tin continue before you start your presentation once more.
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Request a trial by written declaration if you don't want to become to court. In some cities and counties you may accept the selection of doing a trial by written announcement rather than appearing in court. This may be a better option for you if you get nervous or flustered speaking in public.^[xiii]
- If you use the trial by written announcement procedure, you may exist required to pay the total bail amount when you submit your declaration. It will exist refunded if the judge rules in your favor.
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Receive the court'south decision. After you're done presenting your instance, the judge volition decide whether you are guilty or non guilty. If the judge decides you are guilty, typically you must be prepared to pay the fine immediately.^[fourteen]
- If you plan to appeal the gauge's decision, you can ask for a stay of judgment awaiting appeal. This means you don't have to pay the fine until after the appeals court hears your example. Notwithstanding, the judge may reject your request.^[15]
- If yous had a trial by written declaration, you lot can request a new trial in court if y'all are dissatisfied with the gauge's decision. You must make this request within 20 days of the engagement on the judgment.^[16]

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Consult an attorney. It isn't necessary to have an attorney to file an appeal. Notwithstanding, if you've gotten to this point and y'all still desire to fight your ruby light ticket, it may be worth it to have an attorney on your side. Your conviction will but be overturned if the judge made a legal error in your example. If yous aren't extremely familiar with the law, this tin get complicated.^[17]
- Expect for an chaser who specializes in traffic law. Preferably, you lot want someone who has feel getting red light ticket convictions overturned.
- Most attorneys offer a free initial consultation. Use that opportunity to interview 2 or 3 unlike attorneys so you tin can choose the best one to stand for you.
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File your discover of appeal. The notice of entreatment is a court document you lot must file to initiate the appeals procedure. It must be filed no afterwards than 30 days after the guess hands down the decision in your case.^[eighteen]
- There is no fee to file a notice of appeal. If you are representing yourself or take non yet hired an attorney earlier the borderline, you can download a form to use at http://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/cr142.pdf.
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Request a record of the oral proceedings. In some situations you'll need to send a record of the oral proceedings up to the appeals court. If you're non sure, go ahead and request it to err on the side of circumspection.^[xix]
- For example, y'all may exist arguing that there was insufficient evidence to captive you of the infraction. This is a common reason red light ticket convictions are appealed. In that case you practice need a record of the oral proceedings, so the appeals court can evaluate the testify presented.
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Prepare your proposed statement on appeal. This court document must be completed and filed with the court within 20 days subsequently y'all file your notice. It tells the court why y'all are filing your appeal and how y'all think the appeals courtroom should dominion.^[twenty]
- If you lot're representing yourself, you can download a copy of a form to use at http://world wide web.courts.ca.gov/documents/cr143.pdf.
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File and serve your statement on appeal. When you've completed your statement, you lot must file it with the clerk of the court and have the prosecutor in your example served. If you don't know the name of the prosecutor, it may exist listed on the guess's decision.^[21]
- To have the prosecutor served, yous typically desire to ship a file-stamped copy of your statement using certified mail with render receipt requested.
- When yous become the green bill of fare back, that serves as your proof of service. You'll need to fill out a proof of service class to file with the court.
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Present your oral argument. If you've requested oral argument, you must announced in courtroom before the appeals court gauge and explain the legal errors that require your conviction to be overturned. You lot tin can waive oral argument if you lot prefer, and the estimate volition make their determination based on the statements you and the prosecutor filed with the court.^[22]
- Both you lot and the prosecutor must waive oral argument. Typically, if y'all waive oral argument the prosecutor will not insist on it.
- Brand sure the fact that yous desire to waive oral argument is included on your argument of appeal.
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Receive the appellate courtroom's decision. Later on the date set for oral argument, the judge has 90 days to enter a written decision in your example. This date remains the aforementioned regardless of whether you lot've waived oral statement.^[23]
- The appeals courtroom clerk will mail you a re-create of the written decision when it is entered. Yous may also be notified by phone.

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If you alive in L.A. County and don't mind taking the risk, you can probably merely ignore your red light ticket. The L.A. County Superior Court has ruled that failure to pay a red-light camera ticket cannot be reported to the DMV. The amount you lot owe will exist submitted to a collections agency, but that agency will not report to credit bureaus.^[24]

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Commodity Summary X

To fight a red light ticket in California, you'll need to plead not guilty at your arraignment and provide evidence to support your case. Your ticket should include a link to a photo or video of you running the red light. If this isn't bachelor, you lot tin can request proof from the law enforcement bureau that issued your ticket. If it wasn't you driving the motorcar, fill out the affidavit form that came with your ticket and provide details of the driver. If there was no warning sign within 200 feet of the photo enforced cherry calorie-free, you might be able to use this as a defense against your ticket. Or, if the yellow light interval is unusually short, this might also give you a valid defense. When y'all go to your arraignment, plead not guilty. So, you'll have to announced in court and nowadays your example and bear witness. For more tips from our Legal co-author, including how to appeal if you lose your fight against a red lite ticket, read on.

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