Traffic Court in San Francisco, CA

If you receive a traffic ticket in the County of San Francisco, then your case will be heard at the Traffic Division of the Superior Court of California for the County of San Francisco, CA. The Traffic Division of the Superior Court of California serves the County of San Francisco.

The traffic court in San Francisco, CA, deals with violations of traffic laws and other minor offenses of state and county ordinances. Infraction violations issued in the County of San Francisco can include:

• Speeding tickets
• Running a Red Light ticket;
• Red Light Camera violations;
• Running a Stop Sign;
• Failure to Stop for a School Bus;
• Cell phone violations;
• Expired registrations; and
• Automobile equipment needing repair.

Traffic violation infractions begin when a law enforcement officer issues a traffic citation (often called a “traffic ticket”). The penalty or punishment for a traffic infraction can include a requirement that you pay a fine. Civil traffic infractions are different from criminal offenses because infractions do not carry any potential jail or prison time.

If you fail to pay a traffic fine for a traffic infraction in San Francisco County when it is due, or if you fail to respond to a traffic citation after it is issued, then additional penalties can be imposed for failure to pay traffic fines when due or respond to a citation, including the imposition of a civil assessment and a DMV hold placed on your driver’s license. Additional penalties can apply if you fail to appear in court.

Frequently Asked Questions about Traffic Tickets in San Francisco, CA

After a missed court date, what happens because of the Failure to Appear?

If you fail to appear or resolve a traffic citation in San Francisco County on or before the due date, then the following consequences can occur:

• The court can place a hold against your driver’s license, which can be imposed by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
• A warrant can be issued for your arrest, or
• A Civil Assessment of $300 can be imposed in addition to the original bail (often called the “fine”)

What is a Courtesy Notice?

If you receive a traffic citation in San Francisco County, CA, a “courtesy notice” will be mailed to the address listed on the citation. The courtesy notice for a San Francisco Traffic Infraction is usually received within 21 days after the citation was issued. The courtesy notice contains information about the requirements and options available for resolving the ticket.

For a courtesy notice issued in San Francisco, the notice will provide information on the following:

• Traffic Court Information
• Traffic School Information
• The amount of the bail (or the “fine”)
• The due date for the fine
• Proof of correction for compliance violations, and
• Court and Traffic School Information

If you received a traffic citation in the county of San Francisco, and you did not receive a courtesy notice, then you can contact the Court. The failure to receive a notice is not a legal excuse for failing to respond to a citation. If you do not understand your options for resolving the traffic ticket, then you must appear in traffic court not later than the date listed at the bottom of your traffic citation.

Why didn’t I receive a Courtesy Notice to San Francisco’s Traffic Court?

If you didn’t receive a courtesy notice, it might be because:

• The traffic citation may still be in the hands of the law enforcement officer who cited you;
• Your latest address may not be updated with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV);
• You may not have shown the officer your change of address card along with your driver’s license;
• The address written on the traffic infraction citation may be incorrect or incomplete;
• The traffic citation may have been sent back to the citing officer for correction; or
• An error occurred at the post office.

Keep in mind that the court is not required to send you a courtesy notice. When you sign the citation, in the presence of the officer that issued the citation, you are agreeing that you know about the citation and will take the steps necessary to resolve the citation.

Ticket Issuing Agencies in San Francisco

The attorneys at Ticket Crushers represent clients who are issued a ticket in the City or County of San Francisco from one of the following agencies:

• SFPD — San Francisco Police Department
• STATE — State Police
• CHP — California Highway Patrol
• PARK — Park Police
• SFCCPD — San Francisco Community College Police Department
• SFUPD — San Francisco State University Police Department
• UCPD — University of California Police Department
• AMTRAK — Amtrak
• BART — Bay Area Rapid Transit
• SFFD — San Francisco Fire Department
• DPW — Department of Public Works
• F & G — Fish and Game
• MUNI — Municipal Railway

Additional Resources

Traffic Court in San Francisco, CA — Visit the website of the Traffic Division of the Superior Court of California for the County of San Francisco to find out more about traffic court and contesting a traffic ticket.

The Traffic Division of the Superior Court of California for the County of San Francisco also offers Traffic Night Court two nights a week. Arraignments on traffic tickets and other citations or violations may be scheduled at 5:30 p.m. on Mondays or Tuesdays.

Appeal Procedures for Infractions (Form CR-141-INFO) — Find information on appealing traffic infraction cases in the State of California. Form CR-141-INFO contains detailed information and step-by-step instructions on appealing traffic infraction cases.

Civil Infractions in San Francisco, CA — Infractions issued in San Francisco, CA, are crimes that can be punished by a fine, traffic school, or some form of community service, but not by time in jail or prison. See Penal Code Sections 17, 19.6, and 19.8.

Finding an Attorney for Traffic Court in San Francisco, CA

If you received a traffic citation for a violation in the County of San Francisco, then contact an experienced traffic ticket attorney at Ticket Crushers. Our attorneys represent clients in citations issued throughout the county of San Francisco and the surrounding area.

Ticket Crushers represents clients with a speeding ticket and other traffic tickets issued by the California Highway Patrol or the San Francisco Police Department. Call us today for a free consultation to discuss your case at 1 (866) 842-5384.