By Mail: To enter a plea of not guilty and schedule a court date by mail, check the appropriate box on the courtesy notice and mail it, along with full payment of the fine, to the Traffic Division. The clerk will send you and the officer a notice of the trial date and time. The money paid will be placed in trust pending the outcome of the trial. If you are found guilty, the money will be forfeited in payment of the fine. If you are found not guilty or your case is dismissed, the money will be refunded to the depositor in approximately 30 days.
If you did not receive a courtesy notice, a plea of not guilty on an infraction charge may be entered by writing a letter to the court, stating your plea, and requesting a court trial. The letter must be signed by you and received by the court on or before the due date.
In Person: To enter a plea of not guilty and schedule a court date in person, you must come to the Traffic Division office located at 463 Second Street, Room 115, Yuba City, CA, during regular business hours.
Misdemeanors:If you are cited for a misdemeanor that does not require a mandatory appearance, you may call or come into the Traffic Division office to schedule an arraignment. These types of arraignments are scheduled on Mondays at 2:00 p.m. You must schedule your appearance for any Monday, no later than the prior Thursday at noon. At the arraignment, you may enter a plea of not guilty, at which time the judge will set a trial date and time.
The court does not hear pleas of guilty with an explanation, nor will judges reduce or dismiss citations without hearing both sides of the case. To schedule an arraignment by phone, the Traffic Division may be reached at (530) 822-3303.