Alameda County Superior Court
Traffic Court Self Help

Hearing Types

1. What is the Arraignment?

   This is the initial hearing after the issuance of a citation and marks the beginning of the judicial process. The accused is informed of the charges filed, and advised of his/her rights and options on how to proceed.

2. What is the Trial?

   The trial is a judicial examination, of the issues between parties in an action. There are two functions of every trial; to determine the facts and to apply the law to the proven facts. If your case is an infraction you are only entitled to a "Court Trial", (which means it is heard and decided by a Judge or Commissioner). You are only entitled to a "Jury Trial" if you have been charged with a misdemeanor or felony.

3. What Is a Motion to Set Aside Bail Forfeiture?

   Due to the loss of a bail deposit (Bail Bond or Cash Bail) for failure to appear in court at an appointed time, a hearing must be set to reinstate bail. This hearing has to be set within 180 days by the person that posted the bail. You can set the hearing in person or by written request. To file this motion there is a filing fee which is due to the court at the time of filing.

4. What is a Traffic School Hearing?

   In most cases you can sign up for traffic school with the clerk in person, by mail, by Internet or by the automated phone system without going to court. (Your courtesy notice will tell you if you are eligible for traffic school). A traffic school hearing can be requested to help you do the following:

   1. If your courtesy notice does not indicate you are eligible for traffic school, you may want to schedule a court date to request traffic school.
   2. If you need an extension that can no longer be given by the clerk to complete or sign up for traffic school, you may want to schedule a court date.