For the first six months of 2012, motorists can receive up to 50-percent off their traffic ticket fines.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, violators who have old unpaid traffic tickets may be eligible for the amnesty program that is offered by the Santa Clara County Superior Court, according to a press release from court spokesman Carl Schulhof.
Certain unpaid traffic tickets are eligible for a 50-percent reduction if the fine is paid within the six-month amnesty period. The program ends June 30, 2012.
To qualify for the 50-percent reduction, all of the following conditions must be met:
-The outstanding traffic case was due to be paid in full before Jan. 1, 2009
-The person cited either failed to appear in court or failed to pay in full
-The last date a payment was made was on or before Jan. 1, 2009
-There was no Civil Assessment fee added to the case after Jan. 1, 2009
-The person cited does not owe restitution to a victim on any case within the county where the traffic case was filed
-The person cited has no outstanding misdemeanor or felony warrants within the county where the traffic case was filed.
If other fees and assessments were added to the original fine, those will also be reduced by 50 percent, according to the press release. Violators must pay off the balance due in one lump sum by cash, check or credit card, on or before June 30, 2012.
To determine their eligibility for the program, violators may contact the Traffic Court where their case was filed, in-person or by phone, or submit a completed Eligibility Affidavit form by mail. The eligibility affidavit is available on the court’s traffic court web site at http://www.scscourt.org/self_help/traffic/amnesty_program.shtml
The contact for the traffic court at South County Courthouse is 301 Diana Ave., Morgan Hill, CA, 95037; (408) 695-5000.
