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Fighting a Traffic Ticket in Court - UPDATE: I WON!!!!!!!!!!!
tommy:
Yes? :dizzy:
ChadTower:
The only time I've ever fought a ticket the cop showed up on his day off. Turns out it was right in front of his damn house - the ticket was for 20 in a 15 on a barely used back road - and he doesn't like people driving through his little block at all. Stupid, stupid Rhode Island. Burned a vacation day and got the full fine and points on my license/insurance hit.
knave:
I've contested a few tickets and won. But not by arguing with the officer. The judge wants to hear a defence. You're defense is that the light was yellow when you entered the intersection. I don't think that this alone in enough. Usually the officer's word is enough...
If this were me I'd state my defence...and then ask for probation. The judge may or may not ask where you heard of probation...just say, "from a friend". If you have a clean record there is a really good chance that he will accept. This means you don't pay and nothing goes on your record as long as you don't get another ticket in 6 months or a year (whatever he sets it for).
If this doesn't work than you can ask for a trial, prepair your defence and hope the officer doesn't show. If things don't look good ask for traffic school. (you pay the fine but nothing on your record) The trial judge isn't supposet to do traffic school but if you are nice it's always a better option than losing.
I have found that other than stating a defence arguing with or disagreeing with the officer or judge gets you nothing.
Good luck.
Jdurg:
--- Quote from: CCM on January 09, 2008, 12:29:25 pm ---
--- Quote from: saint on January 09, 2008, 12:22:09 pm ---It's worth going to court because they'll often reduce the fine just because you showed up, and if you can avoid the insurance hit altogether that's a bonus.
--- saint
This thread heavily edited by saint
--- End quote ---
That's a great point. I've gone to traffic court a few times for speeding tickets, and although I've never had one thrown out, they were all reduced to save me points on my license. It can't hurt to fight it.
--- End quote ---
And honestly that is what I hope this turns out to be. I truly feel that I have been wronged by an officer trying a bit too hard to "fit-in". What I am really hoping for is to get the literal infraction recorded on the ticket clarified a little since much of what is written is very difficult to make out.
If the officer decides to bargain with me and remove the ticket if I make an equal donation to a specific police charity, then I'll oblidge. In that case, yes, I'm still being wronged but at least the money is going to a good cause.
saint:
--- Quote from: tommy on January 09, 2008, 12:31:30 pm ---Yes? :dizzy:
--- End quote ---
Yes. MC told him he was SOL and, albeit colorfully, told him to give up and take the ticket. Note I didn't agree with him, but I don't object to the way he said what he said. It was just on the edge of keeping things PG but I thought it was fine. His post was also on topic and related to the discussion at hand.
Your post was barely, if at all, related to the topic at hand. The purpose of your post was to call MC out in a manner that only serves to antagonize.
So... yes.
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