SUPERIOR COURT OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY IMPLEMENTS CIVIL ASSESSMENT REDUCTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH RECENTLY SIGNED LEGISLATION

Litigants with Questions are Encouraged to Utilize the Court’s Online Service Options, Contact the Court’s Traffic Call Center or Visit the Clerk’s Office

Effective July 1, 2022, the Superior Court of Los Angeles County implemented a reduction in civil assessments added to criminal and traffic cases on or after July 1 from up to $300 to up to $100 and is working to vacate outstanding civil assessments imposed prior to July 1, 2022, in compliance with Assembly Bill (AB) 199 – Courts, signed by Governor Newsom as part of the Fiscal Year 2022/23 State Budget package.

The Civil Assessment, authorized by California Penal Code Section 1214.1, is imposed against a defendant who fails to appear in court in lieu of a warrant, after notice and without good cause, for any proceeding or who fails to pay all or any portion of the fine ordered by the Court.

With the signing of AB 199, first published by the Legislature on June 26 and effective immediately on July 1, the Court instantly took action to comply with the legislation by training Clerk’s Office staff on the change and updating procedures, associated forms and notices, the Court’s website and its case management system. The Court is also working to programmatically cancel outstanding civil assessment debt for existing cases. In instances where the Court collected a payment toward the civil assessment balance on or after July 1, 2022, on cases where a civil assessment was imposed prior to July 1, 2022, the Court will initiate refunds to those litigants by the end of July. In accordance with statute, payments made toward the civil assessment balance received prior to July 1, 2022, will not be refunded.

Litigants with questions about their traffic fines are encouraged to take advantage of the following services and options available:

OPTION 1: Online Services

  • Many traffic matters can be resolved online without speaking to a clerk on the phone or coming to a courthouse: look up a traffic ticket by driver’s license or citation number, receive assistance in multiple languages from Gina, the Court’s traffic avatar, and signing up to receive reminder texts or emails about upcoming hearings through the Hearing Reminder Service. Litigants must have their citation number and/or driver’s license number available.

OPTION 2: Traffic Call Center

  • Many traffic matters can be resolved by calling the Traffic Call Center at (213) 633-6300, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday, except on court holidays. Staff assist litigants to enroll in payment plans, submit ability to pay petitions, request extensions, schedule court hearings to release driver’s license holds, and more. Services are provided in all languages.

OPTION 3: In-Person Clerk’s Office Service by Appointment

  • Litigants who wish to speak with a clerk in person are encouraged to schedule an advanced appointment by calling the Traffic Call Center at (213) 633-6300 to avoid waiting in line.

Additional information for traffic litigants is available on the Court’s traffic webpage, www.LACourt.org/Traffic.
You can see the full notice here.

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