Legal Question in Civil Rights Law in California

I was skateboarding at my local skate park and got cited for not having pads/helmet. The park ranger circled the M for misdemeanor, so when i went home i looked up the Long Beach Municipal Code. It clearly stated that a first violation is to be charged with an infraction and shall be no more than $100. I immediately decided i was going to fight it. When i went to court to fight it they told me i had to post bail first, i did not have the money on me so i decided to get an extension. In the time between the extension i had lost the actual citation, so when i went on my extended date i only had a drivers license to hand them. The clerk at the courthouse told me that the only ticket on my record was from years ago. I asked how i could double check, and she told me to go to the police station to see if they could find my ticket. When i went there they said they could not find it either and told me there was nothing for me to do... so i left. Fast-forward a month and leg surgery later and i got something in the mail from the Courthouse stating my $436 bail has been upped to $1099 and has been forwarded to collections. The letter also said a hold has been put on my drivers license until i fix the matter. I have scheduled a court date but the earliest they could do was mid January of next year. Am i going to have to wait till January to fight for my lisence back? I am a student at the local university (CSULB) and cannot get to school nor to my job without a car. I really dont want to risk going to jail for driving with a license that has a hold on it. HELLLP!

-Kirk

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