Bail Reductions & Notices
Please Take Note: You may ask the court at arraignment to consider your ability to pay due to financial hardship and decide whether to approve a reduced fine with a payment plan or community service, you may schedule an appearance in court for arraignment without deposit of bail.
Forms
- TR-320 - Can't Afford to Pay Fine Traffic And Other Infractions
- TR-321 - Can't Afford to Pay Fine Traffic And Other Infractions (Court Order)
Bail Reductions
Court Clerks cannot reduce bail or dismiss cases.
Requests for bail reductions must be made in person before a judicial officer during a Traffic Arraignment calendar Court Schedule at the branch office indicated toward the bottom of the citation. These calendars are generally held on Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m.
Because of the volume of letters requesting bail reduction or dismissal, our judicial officers simply cannot read them. It would be unfair for some to be read and not others. Typically, bail is not reduced; however, if you enter a guilty or no contest plea before a judicial officer he/she will give you an opportunity before sentencing to explain the circumstances of the citation. This may or may not result in a reduction.
Other Bail Notices
- Courtesy Bail Notice Not Received
- Failure to Appear
- Turned Over to Collections
At the bottom of the citation where you signed your name, there is a statement that reads something like “Without admitting guilt, I promise to appear at the time and place designated below.” The signature obligates you to either appear in court or to conclude the various options such as trial, traffic school, or proof of correction by the due date written on the citation or the continuance date granted by a Court Clerk or Judicial Officer.
California courts are under no obligation to send bail notices. However, most courts, including ours, send one courtesy bail notice and two additional notices to the address written on the citation. The first notice indicates the original bail amount, without proof of correction(s), if applicable. If the court receives no response from the first bail notice, or if the continuance date lapses, the computer system generates a second notice that warns the case is getting ready to go into “Failure to Appear” status, which will increase the amount due by $200.00 if action is not taken by the date provided on the notice. If the court receives no response to the second notice, or if the continuance date lapses, the computer system generates a third notice that warns the case is getting ready to be referred to a collection agency, which will increase the amount due by up to $100.00 if action is not taken.
If the case has been turned over to collections see Failure to Appear, FTA and Collections.
If you have decided not to appear in court and seek a bail reduction and prefer to pay your bail in full, please visit our payment site and follow the instructions.