City of Cambridge v. Phillips

“If a police officer records the occurrence of an automobile law violation [for which, with exceptions not relevant to this case, the maximum penalty does not exceed one hundred dollars for the first offense] . . . , the police officer may direct that a written warning be issued or may cite the violator for a civil motor vehicle infraction.” G. L. c. 90C, § 3 (A), as amended through St. 1986, c. 712, §§ 1, 2. In such circumstances, a police officer elected to cite the defendant for a civil motor vehicle infraction rather than to direct that a written warning be issued to her. The defendant…