Why Avoid The Points?
If you are concerned about losing your driving privilege, ruining your clean driving record or if your job is at stake. You need to hire an attorney with experience and success in getting traffic ticket violations dismissed. Kim Burgess has 30 years of experience and have had numerous traffic cases dismissed. Every year, traffic laws are getting more severe and almost every violation is assigned a point. You can certainly appear in court on your own, but if you have any of the above concerns you should hire a qualified traffic ticket attorney. Read more about Mrs. Burgess on the biography page.
Court Changes
Contra Costa County has two commissioners handling traffic cases. Lowell Richards and Peter Fagan. Commissioner Richards handles tickets in Pittsburg, while Commissioner Fagan handles tickets in Walnut Creek and Richmond. They may swap courts once a month for variety.
In Alameda the new year is bringing changes. Traffic cases are still heard in Fremont and Oakland, but the courts have reopened in Pleasanton and Hayward as well.
In Alameda the new year is bringing changes. Traffic cases are still heard in Fremont and Oakland, but the courts have reopened in Pleasanton and Hayward as well.
Common Questions
What is a “point” and how will it affect me?
When you get a ticket, points will be placed on your driving record. Each incident is assigned a point and depending on the type of traffic ticket you received, you can get from 1 – 2 points on
your driving record. For example:
You will get 1 point on your Driving record If you get a ticket for:
You will get 2 points for:
If you get 4 points or more within 12 months, the department may suspend, place on probation, or revoke, your driving privilege for being a negligent operator.
How long does a point stay on my driving record?
The amount of time a point stays on your driving record depends on the severity of the traffic ticket. Most points (illegal turn, not making a complete stop, driving over the speed limit, etc.) will stay on your driver record for 3 years. Points for more serious offenses, such as hit-and-run or a DUI, will stay on your record for 10 years.
Will This affect my insurance rates?
Most insurance companies regularly review your record and may raise your premium if you get a certain number of points. It’s always best to have a “clean” driving record. Having a lot of points on your driving record may cause insurance rates to increase as much as twenty to thirty percent, depending on the number of points on your driving record and your insurance companies policies.
In addition, some insurance companies consider non-point violations in setting premiums. There is no hard or fast rule on whether they consider non-points or not. The best option is to resolve your ticet with a dismissal or one of a few violations that are not reported to the DMV and therefore do not go on your record at all.
