My question involves a traffic ticket from the state of: CA
My previous thread regarding this ticket was: http://www.expertlaw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174999
After receiving advice from the forum and nolo press, I submitted my TBD as follows:
"I plead Not Guilty to the charge of violating CVC 22450(a).
The facts of my case are as follows: I came to a complete stop at a stop sign at the West-bound 134, Figueroa street off-ramp and proceeded to make a left turn, from the left lane, when it was safe. I was soon stopped by a CHP officer and charged with violating CVC 22450(a). Per the officer’s language on the citation itself, "22450(a) VC Stop at stop sign, limit line req.", he cites not a failure to stop, but failure to stop at the limit line. Unable to see the limit line, I stopped at the only clearly visible, reasonable stopping place, the stop sign itself, at the intersection’s entrance.
Please see attached Figure 1, which shows the condition of the limit line, taken at night to show similar visible conditions (as much as possible with a flash, which I could not turn off). As my photo shows, the line is obscured, largely worn away and incomplete. In the absence of this marking, I believe that my complete stop at the stop sign itself constitutes a reasonable observance of CVC 22450, as "approaching a stop sign at the entrance to...an intersection" I did in fact still stop "before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection."
As supporting Figure 2 (image of intersection from Google Maps) shows, even from well behind the stop sign, there are (and were) clear sight lines to any traffic that could have been in the intersection. This means that on the night of the citation, from the stop sign itself, I could easily see all sides of the intersection and establish that there was no oncoming traffic. I believe that the stop sign itself can thus be reasonably considered the “entrance to the intersecting roadway” as per CVC 22450. I thereby met the legal definition of a safe stop: I came to a complete stop, did so prior to the intersection, and established that no other vehicles were in the intersection before proceeding safely.
I thus argue, that I did not violate CVC 22450(a) and ask the court to find me “not guilty” of this violation and dismiss my citation."
Please give me advice on how to approach the Trial de Novo. I felt that my description and photos should have been enough to warrant a Not Guilty decision, but apparently not according to the Los Angeles Court. Thank you in advance for your help.

