Bench Warrant Recalled, Judicial Diversion Reinstated

In early 2020, our client from Las Vegas went to Manhattan Beach to visit her parents.  At the time, our client was 25.  While staying with her parents, she drove down to Redondo Beach one afternoon.

While in Redondo Beach, she made a right turn at an intersection, while facing a red traffic light, that had a sign that said one could not turn right on red.  A Redondo Beach Police Department Officer then pulled her over and issued her a ticket for violating Vehicle Code § 22101(d), an infraction.  When the officer asked our client for her driver’s license, she explained that she left it at her parents’ house, so the officer also ticketed her for violating Vehicle Code § 12500(a), driving without a valid license, which is a misdemeanor.  The officer also discovered that our client’s drivers license was suspended, so he also cited her for driving on a suspended license.

The officer issued our client this ticket and our client signed a promise to appear in the Torrance Courthouse on the ticket in about two months.

By the time the date for our client’s arraignment arrived, our client had returned to Las Vegas and the COVID-19 pandemic was in full force.  Our client did not appear because she assumed the courthouse was closed due to the pandemic.  

Actually, it was not, but our client never verified her assumption. 

 

When our client did not appear, the judge issued a bench warrant for the client.

Two years later, our client’s employer in Las Vegas found out about the bench warrant and told our client to take care of the bench warrant or else he would have to let our client go (fire her).

The client then called Greg Hill & Associates and Greg then appeared on the bench warrant in the Torrance Courthouse, had the bench warrant recalled and had the judge grant judicial diversion for our client.

The client would “earn a dismissal” in 90 days if she performed 10 hours of community service and took a safe driving course.  Greg relayed the news to the client, who was greatly relieved to have the bench warrant recalled and was pleased to know she could earn a dismissal.

Ninety days later, Greg appeared in court for the client, but had lost contact with the client.  A further bench warrant was issued for our client (again).

Two years later, the client reached out to Greg Hill & Associates again, saying, “You may remember me” and stating her name.  Greg remembered her and told her that there was another bench warrant for her.

The client responded, “Yes, I know.  My boss told me again.”

Greg then asked if the client had taken the online traffic school course and performed the ten hours of community service.  The client answered that she had not, so Greg told her what to do and what format the letter documenting her community service needed to say.

Another two months passed before the client circled back to Greg, emailing him her proof of completion of the online traffic school and her letter from a food pantry documenting her having volunteered for ten hours at the food pantry in Las Vegas.

Greg then appeared in the Torrance Courthouse and had the case added to the calendar.

The judge hearing the case kindly recalled and quashed the bench warrant, reinstated our client on judicial diversion, accepted the client’s proof of completing the online traffic school class and proof of community service, and terminated judicial diversion with dismissal of the case.

Greg shared the good news with the client and explained that with dismissal of the case, she was eligible to have the police report sealed (a detention is regarded as an arrest for purposes of a petition to seal) as well as the court records of the case.

The client was very happy with her good luck in this case.