Cal. VEH § 40256

(a) Within 20 days after the mailing of the final decision described in subdivision (b) of Section 40255, the contestant may seek review by filing an appeal to the superior court, where the same shall be heard de novo, except that the contents of the processing agency’s file in the case on appeal shall be received in evidence. A copy of the notice of toll evasion violation shall be admitted into evidence as prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. A copy of the notice of appeal shall be served in person or by first-class mail upon the processing agency by the contestant. For purposes of computing the 20-day period, Section 1013 of the Code of Civil Procedure shall be applicable. A proceeding under this subdivision is a limited civil case.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 72055 of the Government Code, the fee for filing the notice of appeal shall be twenty-five dollars ($25). If the appellant prevails, this fee, together with any deposit of toll evasion penalty, shall be promptly refunded by the processing agency in accordance with the judgment of the court.

(c) The conduct of the hearing on appeal under this section is a subordinate judicial duty which may be performed by commissioners and other subordinate judicial officials at the direction of the presiding judge of the court.

(d) If no notice of appeal of the processing agency’s decision is filed within the period set forth in subdivision (a), the decision shall be deemed final.

(e) If the toll evasion penalty has not been deposited and the decision is adverse to the contestant, the processing agency may, promptly after the decision becomes final, proceed to collect the penalty under Section 40267.