As we all know, COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, is affecting every facet of life as it affects more and more people each and every day. The effect of COVID-19 on the legal system is no different; many courts are currently closed or restricted to only hearing emergency legal matters, such as in-custody arraignments.
How COVID-19 Affects Traffic Trials
If you received a traffic citation and had an appear-by date (listed on the bottom of your traffic citation), an arraignment, or even a trial that fell between March 17, 2020 and anytime in the immediate future, there's no question that you've been concerned with how the current pandemic will affect your case. Currently, the courts are split, by county, on how they are approaching the pandemic.
Riverside County:
The Riverside County Superior Courts is currently operating in a limited capacity and many courts are closed or have limited hours. The Riverside County courts are only hearing specific emergency matters in an attempt to preserve constitutional rights of individuals as well as to maintain social distancing regulations and guidelines. As of now, the Riverside County courts which deal with traffic matters (i.e., Moreno Valley, Corona, Murrieta, Indio, and Banning), are closed until at least April 3, 2020 (although this date may be extended due to the ongoing pandemic). According to the News Release disseminated on March 19, 2020, The Riverside County courts have postponed all traffic matters for 90 days, with traffic court trials postponed for 60 days, until May 22, 2020.
San Bernardino County:
Like Riverside County, San Bernardino County courts are only hearing emergency matters until at least April 2, 2020. All criminal and traffic matters, except for in-custody arraignments for misdemeanors, felonies, violations or probation and parole, and in-custody preliminary hearings, are being postponed. According to the Emergency Order issued by the San Bernardino County Superior Court on March 18, 2020, a new hearing date for postponed matters will be selected based upon the court's future calendar availability. All payment due dates between March 17, 2020 and April 2, 2020 for fines and fees have been extended.
What To Do If Your Case Has Been Affected by COVID-19
If your case has been affected by COVID-19, continue to monitor the court's website for details on when the courts will re-open, as well as how to obtain a new hearing date for your case.
If you have any questions or concerns, or if you would like to hire an experienced traffic and criminal lawyer to handle your case, please contact our office at (951) 254-4539.
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