Pleading not guilty. Prepare to tell the judge in traffic court why you committed a traffic violation you are accused of or that you did not. You have the right to plead ‘not guilty’ and request a court trial before a judge.

What are benefits of pleading guilty in court? This is a great question that provides an opportunity to roll out a few of the legal system's dirty little secrets. By pleading guilty you are admitting that the charge or charges on your traffic ticket are true and you will accept the penalties associated with those charges. Pleading no contest, in essence, has the same outcome of a guilty plea.
However, if there is ever a civil suit filed against you related to this particular traffic offense, your plea of no contest cannot be used against you in the civil suit, while your guilty plea can. By pleading not guilty, you are telling the State that the charges against you are wrong and that you would like either a jury trial (trial by your peers) or a bench trial (trial by the Judge only).

Calling witnesses. Before we cue the denials, understand that traffic court procedures vary from state to state and jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Follow the instructions on your ticket for submitting a not guilty plea by mail. When pleading Not Guilty you have the option to waive your personal appearance by requesting a trial by declaration. Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino Revised May 1, 2017 CONTEST YOUR TRAFFIC INFRACTION TICKET/CITATION (PLEAD NOT GUILTY) ASKING FOR A TRIAL: The magistrate will then ask the police prosecutor to present their case against you. Before anyone provides evidence to the court, they will be asked to swear an oath on a holy book or affirm (promise) to tell the truth. You may complete form MTR-190 Request for Court Trial in person or by mail to request your court trial. Further it is usually evidence of some remorse on the part of the offender, and second, on the pragmatic ground that the community is spared the expense of a … If you fail to contact the court handling your matter on or before your scheduled appearance, trial or application date , you may be convicted in absence or a warrant may be issued for your arrest . Not guilty pleas will also continue to be accepted by mail. At this trial you may produce evidence and examine witnesses. PLEADING NOT GUILTY AND APPEARING FOR TRIAL. The main benefits of pleading guilty are a discount resulting in a reduction of the penalty.
Be polite but firm when discussing your the incident, and you may see your fine reduced or the case dismissed. The magistrate will read the charge and ask if you plead guilty or not guilty. You are going to have to pay the fine. If you choose to plead not guilty, your case will be set for trial and you will receive notice by mail of the trial date. You plead not guilty. Traffic court is where you dispute a traffic ticket.