Welf. & Inst. Code, § 257

(a) (1) Except in the case of infraction violations, with the consent of the minor, a hearing before a juvenile hearing officer, or a hearing before a referee or a judge of the juvenile court, when the minor, who is between 12 years of age and 17 years of age, inclusive, is charged with an offense as specified in this section, may be conducted upon an exact legible copy of a written notice given pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 40500) of Chapter 2 of Division 17 or Section 41103 of the Vehicle Code, or an exact legible copy of a written notice given pursuant to Chapter 5C (commencing with Section 853.5) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code when the offense charged is a violation listed in Section 256, or an exact legible copy of a citation as set forth in subdivision (e) of Section 660.5, or an exact legible copy of the notice given pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 601 when the minor is within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 601, in lieu of a petition as provided in Article 16 (commencing with Section 650).

(2) Notwithstanding any other law, in the case of infraction violations, consent of the minor is not required prior to conducting a hearing upon written notice to appear.

(b) Prior to the hearing, the judge, referee, or juvenile hearing officer may request the probation officer to commence a proceeding, as provided in Article 16 (commencing with Section 650), in lieu of a hearing in Informal Juvenile and Traffic Court.