A picture is taken and then sent to the accused who can show in court to contest. These are very complicated and an attorney needs to be consulted. Most traffic tickets are either infractions or minor misdemeanors. The normal procedure is to sign a citation promising to appear without admitting guilt. If eligible for traffic school, this should be given serious consideration since it is a dismissal of the charge upon successful completion of school with no adverse insurance costs.
All cases proceed via arraignment which is the first court appearance.
The entire procedure can take from several months to a year or more. Expungement Under PC 1203.4, misdemeanor charges can be expunged. This means that the conviction will be dismissed and the conviction set aside. This can be done after successful completion of probation. The most common type of personal injury is an auto accident.