Los Angeles Failure to Appear Lawyer

Defending FTA Offenses throughout Los Angeles, Ventura, & Kern Counties

In California, if a police officer issues a citation to you, your signature on the bottom is your promise to appear in court or pay the fine for the traffic offense. You are required to take action by the date specified on your citation. If you fail to do so, you could be charged with a misdemeanor offense, and face serious penalties, such as jail time, additional fines, and/or a driver's license hold or suspension. The consequences can wreak havoc on your personal or professional life, as well as affect your finances. If you've been charged with failure to appear (FTA) for a traffic ticket, you need serious legal representation.

At TKT REP, our Los Angeles attorney has over 10 years of experience. We understand the laws concerning traffic citations and legal actions that may be taken for violating a promise to appear or pay fines. We also know that defenses can be raised to challenge the accusations, and favorable outcomes can be sought in these types of cases. When you choose us for legal representation, you'll have an advocate on your side working hard to protect your future and your driving privileges.

Allow us to provide the skilled help you need by calling (818) 875-9153 today.

What Happens If I Ignore My Traffic Ticket in California?

Violating your promise to appear or pay fines for a traffic ticket is a serious offense. The court and DMV can take several actions and impose various penalties and sanctions.

Under California Vehicle Code 40508 VC, willfully failing to appear in court or pay a fine by the specified deadline is a misdemeanor. This is true regardless of the level of offense the traffic ticket was for. For example, if you were driving over 100 mph on a California highway, you would be cited for an infraction, a conviction for which carries fines, but not jail time.

Suppose you purposely do not show up for your scheduled court date. In this scenario, you can be charged with failure to appear, which is a misdemeanor. Now, if you're convicted for FTA, you could be sentenced to jail and fined. Additionally, you are still responsible for the fines associated with your initial citation.

In addition to charging you with a misdemeanor for FTA, the State may also notify the DMV of the violation. The agency will place a hold on your driver's license, which remains until you appear in court or pay your fine. A hold can result in your driver's license being suspended and your inability to renew your vehicle registration.

Your case may also be referred to a collection agency.

What Are the Penalties for a Failure to Appear Conviction?

As mentioned earlier, FTA is a misdemeanor.

If you're found guilty of the offense, you could face:

• Up to 6 months in jail, and/or
• Up to $1,000 in fines

How Can TKT REP Help?

If you're accused of FTA or your case was sent to a collection agency, our Los Angeles lawyer can determine an effective course of action. We fight to get tickets out of collections and back in court. We can appear in front of a judge on your behalf, to work toward getting the FTA lifted, allowing you to go through the DMV processes of reinstating your driver's license.

We offer our services at an affordable flat rate, which means you can get the representation you need regardless of your financial situation.

Discuss your case and legal options with us by calling (818) 875-9153 or submitting an online contact form.