If you received a citation anywhere in Kern County, Fight My Ticket can help. Our Kern County traffic ticket lawyers fight speeding tickets, red-light camera citations, and any other moving violation throughout Bakersfield and the wider Central Valley. Call or text (323) 435-6045 for a free case evaluation.
A traffic ticket may look small, but the consequences are not. A conviction can add points to your driving record, raise your insurance rates for years, and put your license at risk if more tickets follow.
Our attorneys know the Kern County court system, and we work to get your ticket dismissed, reduced, or resolved without a mark on your record.
Why Choose Fight My Ticket for Traffic Tickets in Kern County?
Fight My Ticket has represented drivers throughout California for 28 years. Our legal team brings over 100 years of combined experience to every traffic case we handle, from a first speeding ticket to a commercial driver citation.
We built our practice to make fighting a ticket simple. You will not sit in a courtroom waiting for your case to be called; in most cases, our attorneys appear in court on your behalf. Our legal team is easy to work with, responsive, and focused on one goal: keeping your driving record clean.
We represent drivers cited in Bakersfield, Delano, Ridgecrest, Shafter, Mojave, Lamont, Tehachapi, and every other city and unincorporated area across Kern County.
Kern County covers thousands of square miles, and its courts handle citations issued on everything from downtown Bakersfield streets to rural highways near Tehachapi and the Mojave Desert. Our Kern County traffic ticket attorneys know which courthouse will handle your citation and what to expect once your case is filed there.
What to Do After You Receive a Traffic Ticket in Kern County
Your citation will list a deadline to respond, either by paying the fine, requesting traffic school, or entering a plea. Missing that deadline can trigger additional penalties, so acting quickly matters.
Before you pay the fine or admit guilt, it is worth having our legal team review the citation. Paying a ticket is treated as a conviction, and it adds points to your record the same way a guilty verdict would. A short conversation with our attorneys, before you respond to the court, can preserve options you would otherwise lose.
How The Process Works
Fighting a traffic ticket with Fight My Ticket takes three simple steps.
1. Call, Text, or Upload Your Ticket
Reach our legal team at (323) 435-6045, or upload a photo of your citation online. A member of our team will typically call you back within 30 minutes to discuss your options.
2. We Review Your Case for Free
Our traffic ticket attorneys review the citation, the alleged violation, and the court it was filed in. We then explain your realistic options, including the likelihood of a dismissal or reduction, before you pay anything.
3. We Appear in Court for You
In most cases, you will never need to take a day off work or stand in front of a judge. Our traffic ticket lawyers in Kern County appear on your behalf and contact you as soon as your case is resolved.
Traffic Tickets We Handle in Kern County
Our traffic ticket lawyers defend drivers against every type of moving violation issued in Kern County courts, including:
- Speeding Tickets: From routine speed citations to charges for driving over 100 miles per hour, we work to keep points off your record and your insurance rates from rising.
- Red Light Camera Tickets: Camera-issued citations carry unique evidentiary requirements. We challenge the evidence behind these tickets whenever grounds exist.
- Reckless Driving: A reckless driving conviction under California law carries two negligent operator points and can affect your insurance for years. We fight to reduce or dismiss these charges.
- Failure to Appear (FTA): Missing a court date on a traffic ticket can trigger a bench warrant and a license hold. We work to resolve FTA cases and lift holds quickly.
- Suspended License Citations: Driving on a suspended license carries serious consequences. Our legal team builds a defense around the specific reason for your suspension.
- Commercial Driver Citations: Citations issued to CDL holders carry added risk under federal reporting rules. We understand the stakes for commercial drivers and defend accordingly.
- Out-of-State License Tickets: If you were cited in Kern County while holding a license from another state, our attorneys can often appear in court so you do not have to travel back to California.
- Texting and Cell Phone Tickets: A second cell phone or texting conviction within three years adds a point to your record. We work to keep these citations off your driving history.
Understanding California’s DMV Point System
California assigns negligent operator points to most traffic convictions under California Vehicle Code Section 12810. Most infractions, such as speeding, add one point to your record. More serious offenses, including reckless driving and DUI, add two points under the same code section.
Points do not just sit quietly on your record. Under California Vehicle Code Section 12810.5, the California DMV can suspend your license if you accumulate:
- Four or more points within 12 months
- Six or more points within 24 months
- Eight or more points within 36 months
Once you are classified as a negligent operator, the DMV can impose a one-year probation period that includes a six-month license suspension. A single unresolved ticket can move you closer to that threshold; fighting the citation before conviction is often the most effective way to protect your license.
Points are not the only cost. Insurance carriers routinely raise premiums after a moving violation conviction, and those increases often last for several years. Contesting a ticket before it becomes a conviction is one of the few ways to avoid that increase entirely.
Can Traffic School Help Me in Kern County?
Traffic school can keep a conviction confidential and off your public driving record, but eligibility rules are strict. Under California Vehicle Code Section 1808.7, the DMV will mask only one citation in any 18-month period, counted from violation date to violation date.
You are generally not eligible for traffic school if any of the following apply:
- You attended traffic school for a different violation within the past 18 months
- The citation involved alcohol or drugs
- You were driving a commercial vehicle at the time of the violation
- The alleged speed was more than 25 miles per hour over the posted limit
- The violation requires a mandatory court appearance
A Kern County traffic ticket lawyer can tell you whether traffic school is available for your citation, and whether a dismissal or reduction may be a stronger option instead.
Kern County Traffic Courts We Appear In
Depending on where your citation was issued, your case will likely be assigned to one of the following Kern County Superior Court locations. Our legal team regularly appears at each of these courthouses on behalf of our clients:
- Kern County Metro Building: 1415 Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93301
- Bakersfield Metropolitan Traffic Division: 3131 Arrow St., Bakersfield, CA 93308
- Delano Court Building: 1122 Jefferson St., Delano, CA 93215
- Lamont Court Building: 12022 Main St., Lamont, CA 93241
- Mojave Court Building: 1773 State Highway 58 Business, Mojave, CA 93501
- Ridgecrest Court Building: 132 E. Coso Ave., Ridgecrest, CA 93555
- Shafter Court Building: 325 Central Valley Hwy., Shafter, CA 93263
Kern County Traffic Ticket FAQ
How do I fight a traffic ticket in Kern County?
You can contest a citation by pleading not guilty and requesting a court date, or by having an attorney appear and negotiate on your behalf. Our legal team handles this process from start to finish, so you rarely need to appear in person.
How much does it cost to hire a traffic ticket lawyer?
Costs vary by violation and court, and our Kern County traffic ticket attorneys explain pricing clearly during your free case evaluation. There is no obligation to hire us after that review.
Will I have to go to court myself?
In most cases, no. Our attorneys appear in Kern County traffic courts on your behalf so you can avoid taking time off work.
What happens if I ignore a traffic ticket in Kern County?
Ignoring a citation can lead to a failure to appear charge, a bench warrant, and a hold on your driver’s license. Contact our legal team as soon as possible if a deadline has already passed.
Can a lawyer really get my ticket dismissed or reduced?
Every case is different, and no attorney can guarantee an outcome. Our attorneys review the evidence, the citing officer’s report, and the court’s tendencies to pursue the strongest result available for your specific citation.
Do I need a lawyer for a first-time speeding ticket?
You are not required to hire an attorney for an infraction, but a conviction can still raise your insurance rates and add points to your record. Many drivers hire our legal team specifically to avoid that outcome.
Is traffic school always the best option?
Not always. Traffic school masks a conviction from your public record, but you can only use it once every 18 months, and it still requires you to plead guilty or pay the fine. In some cases, our attorneys can get a citation dismissed or reduced outright, which may be a stronger outcome than using your traffic school eligibility.
Contact Our Kern County Traffic Ticket Attorneys Today
Do not let a Kern County traffic ticket sit unanswered. Our legal team has represented drivers across the Central Valley since 1998, and we are ready to review your citation for free. Call or text Fight My Ticket today at (323) 435-6045 to speak with our Kern County traffic ticket lawyers.
