4 ms·

No you can almost never appear in front of a judge. Random people from around town (who may not even be lawyers) that adjudicate administrative (extrajudicial)

No you can almost never appear in front of a judge. Random people from around town (who may not even be lawyers) that adjudicate administrative (extrajudicial) trials are not judges. That makes more sense when you realize that final appeals from these adjudicators' decisions go to the director of the agency.

areyousure 10y ago
I don't know how it works in SF, but after my final administrative hearing was denied in Oakland in exactly the way you describe, I filed an appeal in the county court, appeared before a real judge, and won: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10381103 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10381103
- esbranson 10y ago
  No, you likely appeared before a superior court commissioner, not a judge. 1. The agency reviews it. 2. An "independent" ALJ reviews it. 2a. Sometimes the head of the agency can and will review it. 3. * A superior court commissioner (traffic commissioner) reviews it. * 4. A superior court judge (a "real judge") reviews it. #. Courts of appeals do NOT review these cases. #. Supreme Court does NOT review the cases. You got to 3 but you likely never actually saw a judge. A hearing by a "real judge" costs a hell of a lot more than $25 in California.
  - areyousure 10y ago
    I appreciate your skepticism, but I did appear before a superior court judge. Specifically, my court documents say "dismissed by court without prejudice" with the presiding judge: Ursula Jones Dickson, Alameda Superior Court Judge. It is not just an issue of her name appearing on the paperwork. My testimony, as well as the parking department's, was made directly to her, and I presented my evidence to her as well. You can check for yourself that it costs $25 to appeal a ticket in Alameda County Superior Court: http://www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/Pages.aspx/How-to-appeal-your-parking-ticket http://www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/Pages.aspx/How-to-appeal-yo... Edit: I am willing to believe that you don't necessarily see a Judge if you file an appeal, but I definitely did myself.

areyousure 10y ago

I don't know how it works in SF, but after my final administrative hearing was denied in Oakland in exactly the way you describe, I filed an appeal in the county court, appeared before a real judge, and won: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10381103 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10381103

esbranson 10y ago
No, you likely appeared before a superior court commissioner, not a judge. 1. The agency reviews it. 2. An "independent" ALJ reviews it. 2a. Sometimes the head of the agency can and will review it. 3. * A superior court commissioner (traffic commissioner) reviews it. * 4. A superior court judge (a "real judge") reviews it. #. Courts of appeals do NOT review these cases. #. Supreme Court does NOT review the cases. You got to 3 but you likely never actually saw a judge. A hearing by a "real judge" costs a hell of a lot more than $25 in California.
- areyousure 10y ago
  I appreciate your skepticism, but I did appear before a superior court judge. Specifically, my court documents say "dismissed by court without prejudice" with the presiding judge: Ursula Jones Dickson, Alameda Superior Court Judge. It is not just an issue of her name appearing on the paperwork. My testimony, as well as the parking department's, was made directly to her, and I presented my evidence to her as well. You can check for yourself that it costs $25 to appeal a ticket in Alameda County Superior Court: http://www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/Pages.aspx/How-to-appeal-your-parking-ticket http://www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/Pages.aspx/How-to-appeal-yo... Edit: I am willing to believe that you don't necessarily see a Judge if you file an appeal, but I definitely did myself.