A civil infraction is a violation of the law that is considered lesser than a misdemeanor. It is a minor breach of state or local law, rather than federal law. Committing an infraction does not invoke certain legal rights, such as the right to a trial by jury. This is because the punishment for an infraction is often a fine, and rarely includes a prison or jail sentence. Other regulatory measures taken to address civil infractions can include the revocation of a license or permit, if it is a traffic violation.
Traffic violations are the most commonly committed infractions, and usually carry with them points which are added to the perpetrator’s drivers license. If a certain number of points on a license is reached, the license may be revoked. The most prevalent traffic violations include parking violations and speeding tickets. Other infractions include jaywalking, running a stop sign, not wearing a seat belt, littering, and disturbing the peace.
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