Crosswalk and School Bus Tickets
Getting a ticket related to a pedestrian crosswalk or school bus zone are (1) common, (2) confusing, and (3) expensive! First, these types of tickets are common and we fight and win these tickets on a regular basis. Second, they are confusing because people often have no idea that they have done anything wrong when the officer pulls them over. Third, these tickets are some of the most expensive tickets in California and start at $234 and can reach over $600! Such tickets carry one point that go on your driving record with the DMV, are in turn reported to your insurance carrier, and will usually raise your rates for the next 3-5 years.
Our attorneys have a number of different successful defense strategies depending on your particular situation. The officer that gave the citation has relied solely on his/her personal (subjective) visual judgment, usually from within their patrol vehicle a good distance away, and proving your guilt can be more challenging than most people think. In this sense, the law is on your side since you have the Constitutional right that: 1) an accused is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, and 2) the government has the burden of proving that an accused has committed the crime charged beyond a reasonable doubt.
Thus it is important to remember, that in all of this, the burden of proof is NOT on us to necessarily prove that you are innocent, but rather for the officer to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you are guilty of every element of the alleged violation. Again, we don’t necessarily need to prove that you are innocent, but rather to create enough reasonable doubt that you violated that specific vehicle code. If we can find one weak link in the chain, the whole case against you will fall apart due to insufficient evidence.
If the officer is unable to prove every element of the alleged violation with sufficient evidence, the case will likely be dismissed. If the officer fails to submit his/her declaration or do so on time, this too is grounds for a full dismissal. Thus there are many ways we can beat these types of tickets. If there is a way out of your ticket, our attorneys will find it—or you get your money back!