Question about Speeding Ticket.

[killifornia]

Got a ticket on July 4th weekend. Doing about 62 in a 55. It's been a month and I've yet to receive anything from the courts. I had the ticket in my short pocket and proceeded to wash said shirt so I don't even have the citation. I know it occurred in Santa Barbara so I've tried checking my driver's license online but no info is found. The citation number isn't legible but I've tried various iterations of what I think it might be and nothing turns up.

Is it possible the CHP officer hasn't submitted it yet? sbcourts.com says it should take 10 business days but it's well past that. Or perhaps something happened and he decided not to file it? Is there any timeframe in which they have to file the citation?

I tried to contact the courts but they said without the ticket or citation number there's nothing they can do. They advised me to show up on the court date but if it's not in the system then I won't be called and so it's pointless. The court is also about 4 hours away so I really can't make that commute and be there at 8am. I'd like to just pay the fine and be done with it but obviously there's no possible way to do that.

So, what would you advise me to do?

[RickD427]

Got a ticket on July 4th weekend. Doing about 62 in a 55. It's been a month and I've yet to receive anything from the courts. I had the ticket in my short pocket and proceeded to wash said shirt so I don't even have the citation. I know it occurred in Santa Barbara so I've tried checking my driver's license online but no info is found. The citation number isn't legible but I've tried various iterations of what I think it might be and nothing turns up.

Is it possible the CHP officer hasn't submitted it yet? sbcourts.com says it should take 10 business days but it's well past that. Or perhaps something happened and he decided not to file it? Is there any timeframe in which they have to file the citation?

I tried to contact the courts but they said without the ticket or citation number there's nothing they can do. They advised me to show up on the court date but if it's not in the system then I won't be called and so it's pointless. The court is also about 4 hours away so I really can't make that commute and be there at 8am. I'd like to just pay the fine and be done with it but obviously there's no possible way to do that.

So, what would you advise me to do?

It sounds like you need to recover the citation number in order for the court to process your plea.

I'd recommend contacting the CHP office covering the area where you received the citation. I'm not familiar with CHP's record keeping practices, but if a LASD deputy had issued the ticket, it would be a very simple matter to review the daily logs of deputies on duty for that shift (it's even easier if you know the officers name, or can describe them). That would produce the citation number and a clean copy of the cite could easily be recovered from the station file. I've done that process for folks in your position quite a few times.

[SMarquez]

I got a ticket in Fontana. You should call the court you were ordered to appear at if you remember it. It was about a week before my appearance date before my ticket showed up online.

[SonofWWIIDI]

Just wait until it turns into a warrant. Then the next time you get pulled over, you'll be able to get the info.



Just kidding. Send a letter to the court (hopefully you remember which one), and the agency that issued the citation, explaining the situation. Send it registered, return receipt, and keep a copy of it. At least that way if it does get out of hand, you will have some plausible reason for the situation, and documentation to back it up. Better that then to actually let it get to the failure to appear warrant by doing nothing.

[Spanky8601]

Here you go OP. This is the contact info for CHP in Santa Barbara.
6465 Calle Real
Goleta 93117-1597
805-967-1234

[Samuelx]

Got a ticket on July 4th weekend. Doing about 62 in a 55. It's been a month and I've yet to receive anything from the courts. I had the ticket in my short pocket and proceeded to wash said shirt so I don't even have the citation. I know it occurred in Santa Barbara so I've tried checking my driver's license online but no info is found. The citation number isn't legible but I've tried various iterations of what I think it might be and nothing turns up.

Is it possible the CHP officer hasn't submitted it yet? sbcourts.com says it should take 10 business days but it's well past that. Or perhaps something happened and he decided not to file it? Is there any timeframe in which they have to file the citation?

I tried to contact the courts but they said without the ticket or citation number there's nothing they can do. They advised me to show up on the court date but if it's not in the system then I won't be called and so it's pointless. The court is also about 4 hours away so I really can't make that commute and be there at 8am. I'd like to just pay the fine and be done with it but obviously there's no possible way to do that.

So, what would you advise me to do?

Specifically, How have you "tried checking your driver's license online"?

Try going to the Santa Barbara Superior Court website and researching your ticket with your DL# and/or DOB...

[killifornia]

Just wait until it turns into a warrant. Then the next time you get pulled over, you'll be able to get the info.

Yeah, I'm trying to avoid that especially since it wouldn't bode well for my CCW approval LOL.

Specifically, How have you "tried checking your driver's license online"?

Try going to the Santa Barbara Superior Court website and researching your ticket with your DL# and/or DOB...

Yes, on the sbcourts website. Says there's no data available.



And I called the CHP office but apparently I need to go there in person as they cannot release any info, even the citation number over the phone or via email.

I've tried calling the courts but I'm not sure I can trust their advice which is to basically ignore it until it's listed in their system. They cannot do anything until it's in their system and so even if I obtain a copy of the ticket and show up on the appearance date they won't be able to do anything. And since it's not in the system then no FTA warrant would be issued or so they claim.

[Samuelx]

AFAIK, the stuff they send you in the mail is just a courtesy reminder. You were initially issued a copy of the cite and are ultimately responsible for taking care of it. If I was you, I'd be documenting and keeping records/evidence of all the attempts I made to take responsibility on a weekly or daily basis - won't necessarily get you off the hook but hopefully can show a traffic judge good faith from you.

[Victor Cachat]

Last time I got a ticket, the notice that came in the mail seemed to take a long time too.
I think there was even some language on the form that waived my right to a "speedy trial" if I opted to fight it.

If I ever get another one, I will cross that out and make a copy before sending it in because they set my court date farther out to combine it with another "hardened" criminal's.

Be prepared for the sticker shock of "assessments" that multiply the original fine by 4-5 times.