If you get on the Internet and use any popular search engine, you’ll find many web pages devoted to attempting to answer the question, “How do I get points on my driver’s license removed?” In California, there are some options. If you have been charged with a traffic violation, you should definitely consult a knowledgeable San Francisco traffic ticket defense attorney about your possibilities.
The least proactive way to get points off your license is also one of the slowest methods for achieving results. That option is, simply, waiting. Minor offenses generally are removed from your record after approximately 39 months. More significant offenses, like DUI, can stay on your record for up to 10 years, however.
Another way that you possibly can clear points is by successfully completing traffic school. Successfully completing traffic school does not take a point off your license, exactly; it allows you to avoid ever having that point attached to the license at all. Today, there are various options for completing traffic school. You can do it in person or can complete a program online. It is important to make sure that the program you complete is one that is recognized and approved by California.
It is also important to understand that traffic school may not be an option depending on your circ*mstances. For example, there are some offenses whose points cannot be avoided with traffic school. Speeding in excess of 25 mph over the limit is one example. If you’re accused of speeding 25 mph or more over the limit, you must either go to court or else take the point(s). Additionally, there are frequency restrictions tied to traffic school. You can take traffic school only once every 18 months. So, if you are cited for an offense and you last took traffic school a year and a month ago, you cannot take it again yet, and you must go to court and fight your ticket or else take the point.
Finally, and most importantly, you can avoid or remove points by utilizing the legal system. You can choose to plead not guilty and take your case to trial. If you win your trial, then no point(s) will be assessed. This is why it is often wise to consult legal counsel before you do anything else. If you simply “pay the ticket,” then you have effectively admitted your guilt and the state is entitled to assess points. Your attorney, however, may have options for you that allow you to contest your ticket, win your case and avoid any points. For example, your attorney may be able to contest your speeding ticket successfully by challenging the method through which the police officer used his/her radar device, or they may be able to challenge the reliability of the device itself.
If you are concerned about the points on your license, or worried about an offense that may lead to points on you license, you should reach out to the San Francisco traffic ticket defense professionals at Uthman Law Office right away. Attorney David Uthman has over 20 years of experience as a litigation attorney and almost a decade of experience as a police officer. We are keenly familiar with the law and the system, and know how to use both to get positive results for you. Call us today at (415) 556-9200 to schedule your FREE initial consultation to get the help you need.
More blog posts:
What to Do If You’ve Been Charged with Driving at a Speed of 100 MPH or More in California, San Francisco Criminal Lawyer Blog, Sept. 13, 2018
You Can Fight Your Bay Area Speeding Ticket, Regardless of What Technology the Officer Used to ‘Clock’ Your Speed, San Francisco Criminal Lawyer Blog, Aug. 30, 2018
