Traffic Advisory Committee

The thirteen-member advisory committee is comprised of superior court judicial officers; court administrators; a criminal defense attorney, a representative of the Department of Motor Vehicles, the California Highway Patrol, and the California Office of Traffic Safety, and advisory staff from the Judicial Council and reports directly to the Judicial Council. Members are appointed by the Chief Justice for a three-year term. The current membership term runs until November 1. 

Download the Committee Roster

• Hon. Maria Lucy Armendariz, Chair, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
• Mr. David Adams, Liaison Officer, California Department of Motor Vehicles
• Ms. Nichole Aston, Branch Chief, Office of Traffic Safety
• Hon. Mark P. Fickes, Commissioner of the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda
• Ms. Katy Grant, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Monterey
• Ms. Blanca L. Hernandez, Deputy Public Defender, Contra Costa County
• Assistant Chief Robin Johnson, Office of Special Representative, California Highway Patrol
• Hon. Jennifer Lee, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa
• Hon. Martha A. Matthews, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
• Captain Tye E. Meeks, Office of Special Representative, California Highway Patrol
• Hon. Jana M. Seng, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
• Hon. Sergio C. Tapia, II, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
• Hon. Sosi Chitakian Vogt, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Madera
• Ms. Lalia Waheed, Court Executive Officer, County of Nevada

Judicial Council Staff to the Committee

• Ms. Jamie Schechter, Lead Staff, Attorney, Criminal Justice Services, Operations & Programs Division, Judicial Council of California

The Traffic Advisory Committee was created in 1995 and works toward improving the administration of justice in the adjudication of traffic and bail-forfeitable offenses; identifies policy issues and recommends rules and model procedures that will make the handling of traffic and bail-forfeitable offenses more consistent statewide.  

Mission
The mission of the Traffic Advisory Committee is to:

• Ensure fairness and justice in traffic court;
• Promote traffic safety awareness and adherence to traffic laws;
• Increase public understanding of, access to, and ease in the handling of traffic citations;
• Minimize the number of court contacts required to adjudicate traffic infraction citations;
• Increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of traffic citation processing; and
• Increase statewide standardization and uniformity in the administration and adjudication of traffic matters.

Current Activities
On a continuing basis, the Traffic Advisory Committee:

• Prepares and disseminates annual Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedules;
• Analyzes legislative proposals relating to traffic;
• Develops and revises traffic-related rules and forms, circulates them as proposals for comment, and assesses responses to the proposals;
• Designs, circulates for comment, and presents to the Judicial Council revisions to the Notice to Appear citation form for infractions and misdemeanors;
• Creates materials on traffic-related issues for court personnel to use in community outreach; and
• Considers proposals about traffic issues from members of the public, court management staff, the Legislature, law enforcement officials, and staff members of other agencies.