30 September 2024

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Si presentó un alegado de no responsable, pero no puede comparecer en el tribunal para una Audiencia de Tráfico Civil, puede solicitar una audiencia documental.

Proceso de audiencia documental:

1. Solicite al tribunal si esta es una opción
2. Declárese no responsable y solicite una audiencia documental
   1. Presente una solicitud escrita con el tribunal indicando por qué será una dificultad significativa que pueda comparecer en persona
3. Si es aprobada, presente una declaración escrita legalizada conforme las políticas del tribunal que detalle los hechos de su caso y su situación
4. Junto con su declaración, el tribunal puede solicitar un depósito de TODO el importe de la multa en su infracción (esto se reintegrará si tiene éxito en su audiencia)
5. Será notificado por correo después de la audiencia en relación al resultado de la audiencia

Temas a considerar:

1. Las Normas de Arizona para los procedimientos garantizan el derecho a audiencia y lo que es más importante, contrainterrogan, testimonio presentado por el estado. En general, esto implica poder cuestionar al funcionario de infracciones. Si no está presente, renunciará a este derecho y no tendrá la oportunidad.
2. Toda la evidencia presentada debe ser pertinente, material y con efecto probatorio a los hechos en la audiencia. Si no está allí, no podrá expresar una objeción a ninguna evidencia que el estado intente presentar. Tampoco podrá responder a las objeciones a evidencias que pueda presentar en su declaración.
3. 3. Alguien que está presente puede responder las preguntas y aclarar todas las partes de su testimonio. Asimismo, cuenta con la ventaja de que su testimonio sea ponderado por igual con los demás testimonios presentados por el estado.

20 January 2021

15 July 2024

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30 September 2024

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By requesting a civil traffic hearing you are entering a plea of "Not Responsible" and giving up your ability to attend a defensive driving program.

Note: If you are unable to attend in person the court may offer hearings over the phone or documentary hearings.  You must contact the court BEFORE the date on your ticket to find out their policies and procedures.

If you are "Not Responsible":

1. Request a hearing by either 1 - mailing in a hearing request form (found on a fee schedule or bond card) postmarked on or before your appearance date or 2 - appear at the courthouse on or before the date on your citations
   
   • The Clerk of the Court will then schedule a hearing date
2. Notify the court as soon as you can if
   • There are any witnesses that you need to have subpoenaed to the hearing (requests must be received at least 14 days in advance)
   • You need an interpreter on site or other, non-legal, assistance
   • You will need to use any equipment to present evidence.  Most courts have projectors and computer capabilities.
     • Some courts allow you to come in prior to your court date to familiarize yourself with how the equipment works - so ask
3. Gather all evidence that supports the facts in your case (not your feelings)
4. Make copies - you will need at least 2 copies (plus the original) of each piece of evidence you wish to enter 1 - for the court 1 - for the other side and 1 - for yourself
5. Attend the court hearing
   • Be on time
   • Dress neatly
   • Find out if children are allowed in courtroom
   • Be prepared to tell the judge why you were not responsible for what is on your ticket

*If you do not show up, you will be found responsible and a judgment will be entered in favor of the state and you will be responsible for the full cost of the traffic fine.  Points may also be added to your driving record and your insurance company notified, depending on the citation.*

Resources

Civil Traffic Tickets in Arizona

Defensive Driving School in Arizona

Court Contact Information 

19 August 2024

11 July 2024

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Criminal Traffic Violations that Require a Court Appearance

The following are some of the criminal traffic violations that require a pre-trial conference and for you to appear in front of a judge:

ARS § 28-693A - Reckless Driving

ARS § 28-695 - Aggressive Driving

ARS § 28-661A1 - Leaving the Scene of an Accident/Personal Injury

ARS § 28-661A2 - Failure to Stop at the Scene of an Accident/Personal Injury

ARS § 28-708A - Racing on Highways

ARS § 28-1381A1 - Driving While Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor or Drug

ARS § 28-1381A2 - Driving While Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor with a Blood Alcohol Content of .08 or More

ARS § 28-1381A3 - Driving While Under the Influence of Drugs or Metabolite

ARS § 28-1381A4 - Driving While Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor in a Commercial Vehicle with a Blood Alcohol Content of .04 or More

ARS § 28-1382A - Driving While Under the Extreme Influence of Intoxicating Liquor

ARS § 28-3473A - Driving While Drivers License is Suspended/Revoked/Canceled

07 August 2024

Al solicitar una audiencia de tráfico civil, ingresa un alegato de «no responsable» y abandona su posibilidad de asistir a un programa de conducción defensivo.

Nota: Si no puede asistir en persona, el tribunal puede ofrecerle audiencias telefónicas o audiencias documentales. Debe comunicarse con el tribunal ANTES de la fecha de su infracción para averiguar sus políticas y procedimientos.

Si «no es responsable»:

1. Solicite una audiencia al marcar 1 - en un formulario de solicitud de audiencia (encontrado en una tarjeta de bonificación o programada) con sello postal en o antes de su fecha de comparecimiento o 2 - comparecer en el tribunal en o antes de la fecha de sus infracciones
   
   • El secretario del Tribunal entonces programará una fecha de la audiencia
2. Informar al tribunal lo antes posible si
   • Existen testigos que debe citar a la audiencia (las solicitudes deben recibirse al menos con 14 días de anticipación)
   • Necesita un intérprete en el sitio u otro asistente, que no sea legal
   • Deberá usar un equipo para presentar evidencia. La mayoría de los tribunales tienen proyectores y capacidades de computación.
     • Algunos tribunales permiten que se presente antes de su fecha de tribunal para familiarizarse con el funcionamiento del equipo, por lo cual le sugerimos pregunte
3. Reúna todas las pruebas que respalden los hechos en su caso (no sus sentimientos)
4. Haga copias - necesitará al menos 2 copias (más el original) de cada evidencia que desee ingresar 1 - para el tribunal 1 - para la otra parte y 1 - para usted
5. Asista a la audiencia del tribunal
   • Sea puntual
   • Vístase prolijamente
   • Averigüe si se permite el ingreso de niños a la sala del tribunal
   • Prepárese para informar al juez por qué no es responsable de lo que está en la infracción

*Si no se presenta, será responsable y se dictará un fallo a favor del estado y será responsable de todo el costo de la multa de tráfico o infracción. Los puntos podrán agregarse a su registro de manejo y se informará a su aseguradora, según la infracción.*

11 July 2024

How to Read Your Citation

I lost my ticket. What do I do?

Depending on where a person was pulled over, who issued the ticket, and the severity of the violation decides who a person would contact for their ticket information. For instance, if a person in Flagstaff was pulled over for running a stop sign downtown by an officer of the Flagstaff PD, they would contact the Flagstaff Municipal Court for their traffic ticket information. The majority of traffic violations are handled by municipal and justice courts in Arizona, with more severe criminal violations being heard at superior court locations. A person may have to contact more than one location until they find their ticket information. When contacting a courthouse, please have the following information available:

1. Date of the citation
2. Name on the ticket
3. Driver's license number

Click this link to find the correct courthouse or narrow down the possibilities

For those that are still unable to figure out what courthouse holds their ticket, they may contact their local Motor Vehicle Division to try and locate their information. 

20 August 2024

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If a plea of not responsible has been entered, but the defendant is not able to appear in court for a Civil Traffic Hearing they may be able to ask for either a remote hearing via Zoom or a documentary hearing.

Documentary Hearing Process:

1. Ask the court if this is an option
2. Plead Not Responsible and request a documentary hearing
   1. File a written request with the court stating why it would be a substantial hardship for your to appear in person
3. If approved, submit a notarized, written, statement according to the policies of the court detailing the facts of the case and situation
4. Along with the statement, the court may require a deposit of the FULL fine amount on the citation (this will be refunded if successful in the hearing)
5. You will be notified by mail after the hearing as to the outcome of the hearing

Things to Consider:

• The Arizona Rules for procedure guarantees the right to hear and more importantly, cross-examine, testimony presented by the state.  This usually involves being able to question the citing officer.  If the defendant is not present, they will waive this right and not have the chance to ask questions. 
• Any evidence presented must be relevant, material, and have probative value to the facts in the hearing.  If the defendant is not there they will not be able to voice any objections to any evidence that the state tries to introduce. They will also not be able to respond to any objections to any evidence you may present in your affidavit.
• Someone who is present is able to answer questions and clarify any part of their testimony.  You also have the advantage of having your testimony weighed equally with that of the other testimony presented by the state.

02 November 2023