Amir
Amir v. Superior Court of L. A. Cnty.
Opinion
lead Opinion
Ricciardulli, J.
*605 INTRODUCTION
*3 When a person cited for an infraction resides or works closer to the county seat than to the court nearest to the place where they were cited, upon the person's demand, must the person be tried in a court in the county seat, or can the person's request be denied due to the travel inconvenience of the citing law enforcement agency? We hold a court in this instance must transfer the place of trial to the county seat. ( Veh. Code, § 40502, subd. (b).) 1
Petitioner Shahab Amir requested a writ commanding respondent Los Angeles County Superior Court to vacate its order denying his motion to change the location for trial of his infraction from Lancaster, which is 70 miles from his residence, to the Los Angeles County seat in the City of Los Angeles, which is two miles from his home, and enter a new order granting his motion. We will issue a writ so ordering.
BACKGROUND
Petitioner on September 2, 2017, was given a citation for speeding in Lancaster in Los Angeles County, and he requested the citing officer to *4 specify the county seat as the place to appear. The officer refused to do so, instructing petitioner to appear in the Antelope Valley Courthouse in…