Thanks for your responses. I am sensitive to issues of injustice (overly I know) and am also worried about several things that could happen from this, including just imploding because it's so infuriating. So it helps to have some people outside to bring me back away from doing that.

In terms of a position with a background check, the places are sensitive, even if a vehicle violation seems to have nothing to do with what I would be doing. Still in the field, people do lose their careers based on things like a DUI, which I have a very old conviction of. To have an additional violation show up could be a problem. I will have more than one background check since I will be changing agencies each year for a little while.

But there is good news I think or at least something that could work out possibly without having to get a lawyer. I called the traffic division of the courthouse and got my case number and name of the officer. I asked what to do to change this. The clerk told me there were not official forms or petitions, but that I could write a letter to a judge and ask for a chance to produce evidence of a valid license. She said there was no guarantee that would be granted, but that is what I should do if I wanted it changed.

So I drafted a letter. I could use support so here it is basically:

Your Honor:

I am writing about a recent traffic citation for driving without a license (case xxxxxx). I was stopped by UCSC police Officer xxxx for a minor speeding violation and had left my wallet at home. The officer indicated that it was not a significant problem and that he could look it up. He did add a citation for not having a license but said it was not serious. That led me to believe that the citation was for not having a license on my person, which seemed a relatively minor issue.

In June, I typed in my citation number and paid the fines for both citations, which were lumped together as one payment. Nothing during the payment process indicated that I was being charged with what could be a misdemeanor offense. Indeed, I had no idea at the time that there were two different offenses described by the same words “driving without a license.” I therefore did not know that in paying I was actually pleading guilty to a more serious violation of driving without a valid license, VC 12500 (A), instead of simply driving without a license on your person, VC 12591.

I do have a valid California driver’s license, and it was valid at the time that I was stopped and cited. I simply had forgotten my wallet. I did not realize that my payment of the fine resulted in being convicted of a more serious violation. I appeal to Your Honor to allow me an opportunity to produce proof of a valid license so that this matter can be corrected and the conviction of the more serious offense be dismissed.