Notices from the Bureau of Automotive Repair can vary in accusations and possible penalties. Some notices can be considered ‘simple,’ like a maintenance and repair violation. Yes, fines can become steep, up to $5,000, but in many cases, the BAR allows minor violations to be resolved through BAR-certified remedial training. 
Maybe you chose not to pay the fine, but your shop will lose a valuable smog technician due to several days of training. Heavier disciplinary actions for more serious violations can include probation, suspension, and possibly revocation, including the revocation of a smog license.
Each violation can be added to a shop’s record and, over time, will create a pile of penalties that can ultimately close down a smog testing and repair business. It’s why addressing any letter from the Bureau of Automotive Repair must be taken seriously. They may believe the charges against your smog business are true, and their lawyers will certainly use that approach. Even when all the facts prove otherwise. We know because we are not only a team of criminal defense lawyers for auto repair shops; many of us were smog techs in the past. Personal experiences surrounding the unfairness of the BAR process have inspired us to help others.
Get the bonus and speak to a criminal defense lawyer for an auto repair shop with lived experience
‘Lived experience’ is used a lot these days, but it holds true in this situation. Many on our legal team, including our founder William Ferreira, Esq, are former smog testing professionals. And he chose to become a criminal defense lawyer for auto repair shops because of his own lived experience. He went through the rigorous smog tech testing and certification process. He watched as his colleagues received BAR accusations that didn’t seem real. And he also saw how the BAR’s legal team ran circles around these honest, hard-working smog techs, ruining their reputation and careers.
The Bureau of Auto Repair has a job to do, and we understand that. Unfortunately, their passion for going after smog technicians can blind them to all the facts involved. Facts that prove a smog technician did everything by the book, but were gaslit into believing they didn’t. Undercover cars are a perfect example of this. Many of the ‘fixes’ the BAR placed under the hood are not part of a smog technicians training. The point is that a BAR violation notice can be more akin to gaslighting than solid evidence. For our legal team, the experience as former smog technicians bring a wider, more comprehensive perspective.
In serious criminal accusations, this could save a smog tech from serving jail time. Because yes, our legal team also handles smog criminal defense cases. When the BAR deems your case ‘criminal’ instead of ‘civil,’ they can do this. And it’s devastating for a professional who is not deserving of the charges. If any of this sounds familiar, you really should consider finding experienced counsel fast! We are eager to defend your smog career and reputation.