The last time I was in court I saw a girls ticket get tossed because of a short skirt and low cut top, hey she was only doing 50ish in a school zone.
I got some traffic tickets.
- Thread starter dpm802
- Start date
If the "no turn" sign is before the stop violation line, you have a case about an improperly placed signage. The violation line is for the rear bumper in a running the red light situation. Get photographs, the judge will not want to look at more than 4 and a diagram. His time is limited and he has to keep a schedule. If he wants to he may send a bailiff to go look, and you may be waiting a while for your case to finish. If the sign is AT the line, you are probably stuck.
You present your license at court to the judge, and plead human. You did forget it, and I presume you typically remember it. I have my license memorized and have since shortly after I got it, my number is permanent unless I get a license in another state.
The driving/speeding may be a case of he wouldn't have stopped you but for the turn, but there is no betting on it. Waiving one thing before hand will look fishy since it will probably appear on the judge's docket as it is with the other two violations.
Best of luck. Where I grew up showing and pleading "no contest" which is neither an admission of guilt not innocence, while dressed clean and professionally (if you are a service tech, wear a fresh uniform, otherwise slacks and pressed tucked in button down shirt, maybe a tie even) guaranteed a lower fine than waiving it.
Hire a lawyer if the long term cost is potentially significantly more than the entire violation fees and lawyer fees.
Phil
You present your license at court to the judge, and plead human. You did forget it, and I presume you typically remember it. I have my license memorized and have since shortly after I got it, my number is permanent unless I get a license in another state.
The driving/speeding may be a case of he wouldn't have stopped you but for the turn, but there is no betting on it. Waiving one thing before hand will look fishy since it will probably appear on the judge's docket as it is with the other two violations.
Best of luck. Where I grew up showing and pleading "no contest" which is neither an admission of guilt not innocence, while dressed clean and professionally (if you are a service tech, wear a fresh uniform, otherwise slacks and pressed tucked in button down shirt, maybe a tie even) guaranteed a lower fine than waiving it.
Hire a lawyer if the long term cost is potentially significantly more than the entire violation fees and lawyer fees.
Phil
OldSaw
The wife's investment
Advice from the street. I'm not a lawyer, but I have beaten a few tickets, only one with a lawyer. In every legal case there is the law and then there is reality, the way it really works.
If you "just pay the fine" you are automatically penalized by both the law and your insurance company to the fullest extent. Going to court is also stacked against you most of the time, unless you have a lawyer and even then who knows.
Here's what has worked for me:
First ticket (speeding) when I was just a teenager I hired a lawyer. For some reason that officer, who was just in the building moments ago didn't appear for the case and it was thrown out. I'm not sure how the lawyer made that happen, but it did.
Another one that I "just paid the fine" was the biggest mistake ever. I stopped at a red light at 3 AM and nothing was coming for miles, so I went through and got nabbed. I had just enlisted in the Navy so I just paid the fine and my insurance went through the roof for several years.
On another one I went to the hearing and learned of a program that Illinois had, (I was stationed at Great Lakes Naval Base), for first time offenders (it was my first in Illinois) and requested to participate (can't remember the statute). I had to pay the fine and court costs, but there was no record or points and my insurance was not affected.
The most recent one a few years back was completely bogus. I got pulled over by Barney Fife while driving my boss's Chevy Silverado SS because I passed a lady who was going 15 MPH, smoking a cigarette with one hand and had her cell phone in the other talking on it, no hands on the wheel. This just happened to be in a speed trap area and he "thought" I was speeding, but did not clock me. I told him about the other driver and he went off like a child having a tantrum. Then he wrote me a citation for reckless driving.
I was really hacked, as the only reckless driving going on was by the other driver. I went to court and plead not guilty. I then met with the prosecutor and told him what happened. He said he could do a plea deal on a civil charge and drop the moving violation, BUT I still had to pay the $110 fine. Great, so I paid the fine, which I never should have had to pay at all, but it seemed like the most pain free way out.
So what I have learned is never pay the fine or plead guilty. If you go to the hearing sans attorney, you will probably be able to cut a deal. If you get a GOOD attorney, you may beat the rap altogether. None of these went to trial, so I didn't have to worry about getting buried by a cop who is used to the system.
If you "just pay the fine" you are automatically penalized by both the law and your insurance company to the fullest extent. Going to court is also stacked against you most of the time, unless you have a lawyer and even then who knows.
Here's what has worked for me:
First ticket (speeding) when I was just a teenager I hired a lawyer. For some reason that officer, who was just in the building moments ago didn't appear for the case and it was thrown out. I'm not sure how the lawyer made that happen, but it did.
Another one that I "just paid the fine" was the biggest mistake ever. I stopped at a red light at 3 AM and nothing was coming for miles, so I went through and got nabbed. I had just enlisted in the Navy so I just paid the fine and my insurance went through the roof for several years.
On another one I went to the hearing and learned of a program that Illinois had, (I was stationed at Great Lakes Naval Base), for first time offenders (it was my first in Illinois) and requested to participate (can't remember the statute). I had to pay the fine and court costs, but there was no record or points and my insurance was not affected.
The most recent one a few years back was completely bogus. I got pulled over by Barney Fife while driving my boss's Chevy Silverado SS because I passed a lady who was going 15 MPH, smoking a cigarette with one hand and had her cell phone in the other talking on it, no hands on the wheel. This just happened to be in a speed trap area and he "thought" I was speeding, but did not clock me. I told him about the other driver and he went off like a child having a tantrum. Then he wrote me a citation for reckless driving.
I was really hacked, as the only reckless driving going on was by the other driver. I went to court and plead not guilty. I then met with the prosecutor and told him what happened. He said he could do a plea deal on a civil charge and drop the moving violation, BUT I still had to pay the $110 fine. Great, so I paid the fine, which I never should have had to pay at all, but it seemed like the most pain free way out.
So what I have learned is never pay the fine or plead guilty. If you go to the hearing sans attorney, you will probably be able to cut a deal. If you get a GOOD attorney, you may beat the rap altogether. None of these went to trial, so I didn't have to worry about getting buried by a cop who is used to the system.
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whatever you do.. don't go into court with an 'attitude'. hire the lawyer.
OldSaw
The wife's investment
OldSaw
The wife's investment
I have also coached my wife on a speeding ticket in a school zone, BUT THERE WERE NO CHILDREN PRESENT. She also got the civil charge deal and no moving violation. Again, completely innocent and should not have had to pay anything, but it saved on insurance and points.
Here is what i am doing to punish Them back for the Ticket Blitz and Gas Prices.
i don't go out much at all, to save on gas, and Harassment by Police and Ticket Agents here in NY, i don't go out to eat Maybe once every 3 weeks or so, i don't by coffee outside, i make my own and put it in a Coffee Thermos, I only Shop online 80% of the time where there is no tax, , So now they get no gas money from me, No tax from any items i buy including food, coffee etc, If thousands of People did this, They would know who is the boss, We The People. I am Really Beginning to Hate My Government that sells us to the highest bidder, and when politicians don't get what they want from Albany, the come after the People and bully us with there cops so they can extort money from us by giving us trumped up tickets, Imagine that the same people who were sworn in to protect you are now Sticking it to you by Extorting you. I said Enough is Enough..... Fight back by doing the above and more..
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If im not guilty, i would fight it, i would even go as far as asking the officer for a Recent medical Eye Exam, and the Failure to Produce a drives license, well the law states you must have one to drive and you do, all you are guilty of is of forgetting your wallet at home, Nothing more, You are human and it Happens, Now if the Turning Sign is Behind you that's an easy win, as far as 44mph on a 25MPH ask for his most recent update on speed training and speed gun calibration, if he said he doesn't have it, ask him why? when he says he forgot, you look at the judge and say, you mean you forgot it like i forgot my Wallet
But seriously if you don't feel comfortable shop around a lawyer usually will take all 3 tickets for a much cheaper price then what you would pay, and lawyers are smart, they postpone and postpone , till the officer doesn't show up, or sometimes if your lucky he transferred, etc, etc. My Lawyer got mine dismissed 2 years later by doing that here in NYC, if i would of paid, tickets would of been like 350+ Court Fee's Yes Court Fee's Even our own government and state are in on Crooked Fee's, and after paying 350 + Fees, My Insurance Company would have Raised me $333.00 a year for almost five years or Drop me, because of the points, So don't pay it if you are going to get points on your license, otherwise your insurance Co. will have a Field day with your Policy.. Just shop around for a lawyer, there pretty cheap and decently priced.
I learned my Lesson, I always have Donuts and Coffee In My Car just in case i get pulled over
Recent eye exam?...uh, yeah, you should save yourself from looking like a fool and not even bother with that one. I have already addressed cops showing up to court. And, as far as asking for a coninuation, you have to have a valid reason. The judge does not have to grant it in which case you're trial will begin momentarily.
As for asking for training certificates and calibrations you must submit paperwork to the courts prior to your court appearance. Those things can be provided but you have to give advance notice so they may be obtained by the officer. We don't just carry those in our pocket.
You were charged with not having your license on you, not for driving without being licensed. The charge is valid and you did violate it. However, this is an area where I think you got hosed.
As for the location of the sign it might not be so clear cut and an "easy win". Just because it was prior to the stop it doesn't mean you don't have to obey it. Just because YOU don't think you violated the traffic laws doesn't mean the violation didn't occur, according to the courts.
If you want to find out any potential ramifications from your insurance company just call them up and ask them. Don't give your name. Just ask how often they check policy holder's driving records and how a ticket like yours could impact rates in general.
If you decide to represent yourself you must understand court procedure. You don't get to put the cop on the stand and just say/ask whatever you want. It has to be applicable to the case and moving towards your defense. If it's not, the prosecuting attorney will object and the judge will rule as to whether or not you may continue with the question. That's just how court works. Like I said before, IT'S NOT LIKE TELEVISION.
Some states do have some good traffic law centers which you can get an affordable attorney to take care of it without going to court. I did that when I was younger.
Either way, dress nice and be respectful with the courts. The judge is not someone to **** off. On the other hand, they are still reasonable people. Be honest and sincere with any requests i.e. asking for a break because of your good driving record, or asking for leniency because money is tight, etc.
I hope it works out for you.
As a police officer who goes to court quite a bit, I have some advice for you.
Go to court. If there is a State's Attorney (some places have to have one on each docket) tell them you want to plead guilty on one and see if they can drop one or two of the offenses.
Many times, a Judge will ask for an excuse or listen to your reasons for the violations (if you plead guilty). They do not care for over zealous officers who write a book of tickets on one person. I would say plead guilty and be truthful. Now, if you had words with the officer that were not to kind or if you have many points on your record, go get a lawyer because a Judge can not only lower your fines but increase them as well.
Send me a PM and we can chat about the specific incident.
Go to court. If there is a State's Attorney (some places have to have one on each docket) tell them you want to plead guilty on one and see if they can drop one or two of the offenses.
Many times, a Judge will ask for an excuse or listen to your reasons for the violations (if you plead guilty). They do not care for over zealous officers who write a book of tickets on one person. I would say plead guilty and be truthful. Now, if you had words with the officer that were not to kind or if you have many points on your record, go get a lawyer because a Judge can not only lower your fines but increase them as well.
Send me a PM and we can chat about the specific incident.
I'm bothered by all of the advice given in this thread. Some of it could cause problems.
- Thread starter
- #71
I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the responses I got. There's a lot of information in here, and that's what I was looking for.
More information should yield better decision making, right? ... Let's hope so.
Court date is set for 17Mar11 .. I'll keep everyone posted as things develop.
OldSaw
The wife's investment
Saint Patrick's day. You Irish?
- Thread starter
- #73
No, I'm not ... you think it might help if I wear a green tie?
Really? That must be nice. Down here you had to show up with ALL of your documentation and certifications, to include a radar log (if you used radar), for presentation on demand. If you didn't have it, ticket was tossed. And there was NO requirement for advance notice that said items would be needed. Most of my FTO's and the other officers carried theirs in a binder they kept in the car (copies of everything) to include the most recent speedo calibration (for pace clocking). I never had to worry about any of that as I didn't make it off FTO.
I work as a Driver and while not a lawyer this is what other drivers i work with usually do.
Don't hire the lawyer, worst case will be 700 half for him, half for the fines.
If you have a clean record, take the hit and drive careful.
If you job doesn't rely on a clean record, or you are prepared for the insurance hit you WILL take, just pay your fine and go on.
If you risk losing your liscence, you can't afford the hit, have the money to pay the fine on your court date, have pictures 9of the intersection) and detailed evidence, dress nicely but not flashy, hide any peircings, tatoos, and plead you case. A good strategy is to admit fault on a minor charge, but have a good reason to justify it.
From what I have seen most people get off with at least a reduction in fines.
180 seems really high for a failure to present liscence, make sure you have a good reason for why you did not have it. (in GA it is 30-60 depending on number of offenses) the failure to present should not be on your driving record, the other 2 will, just to keep in mind.
Best thing though is to drive safely and legaly in the first place, and have your liscence on you at all times.
Don't hire the lawyer, worst case will be 700 half for him, half for the fines.
If you have a clean record, take the hit and drive careful.
If you job doesn't rely on a clean record, or you are prepared for the insurance hit you WILL take, just pay your fine and go on.
If you risk losing your liscence, you can't afford the hit, have the money to pay the fine on your court date, have pictures 9of the intersection) and detailed evidence, dress nicely but not flashy, hide any peircings, tatoos, and plead you case. A good strategy is to admit fault on a minor charge, but have a good reason to justify it.
From what I have seen most people get off with at least a reduction in fines.
180 seems really high for a failure to present liscence, make sure you have a good reason for why you did not have it. (in GA it is 30-60 depending on number of offenses) the failure to present should not be on your driving record, the other 2 will, just to keep in mind.
Best thing though is to drive safely and legaly in the first place, and have your liscence on you at all times.
The badge and gun go to some officers' heads. My brother and I drove to New Orleans over the weekend back in the 90's. We lived in Texas at the time. My brother got pulled over by a small town hick cop for doing 10 over the speed limit. He wouldn't even write us a ticket. He claimed we would "go back to Texas and NEVER pay it", so we were forced to follow him over to the local Justice of the Peace. He asked us how much money we had. My brother said "$400", so our fine for going 10mph over the limit was $350. He left us $50 to get back to Texas on, and we had spent like $700 in New Orleans helping their economy, and that's how they treat us. Sheesh, it's like a police state. And we were very polite to the officer. I'm only referring to him as a "hick cop" because of how he treated us. Like a Barney Fife on 'roids or something.
Due process and ethics don't seem to apply to some of these cops.
Due process and ethics don't seem to apply to some of these cops.
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Man up, you are clearly guilty so stop whining and pay your fines.
First, I am a retired lawyer who was admitted to practice in NJ but now reside in Florida. However, I did not practice this kind of law except when I was assigned a case by a court for an indigent person.
I have seen many instances in which a lawyer has pleaded down a case with the prosecutor or police officer with the result that an individual's insurance did not have an adverse impact. Here in Florida some lawyers do this type of work full-time and they manage to work something out where you are not found guilty and there is no public record of the infraction. This is important because if a police officer stops you in the future and sees such infractions he or she is less likely to give you a warning.
In any event, why not look for a lawyer who handles these type of cases and get a free consult?
I have seen many instances in which a lawyer has pleaded down a case with the prosecutor or police officer with the result that an individual's insurance did not have an adverse impact. Here in Florida some lawyers do this type of work full-time and they manage to work something out where you are not found guilty and there is no public record of the infraction. This is important because if a police officer stops you in the future and sees such infractions he or she is less likely to give you a warning.
In any event, why not look for a lawyer who handles these type of cases and get a free consult?
To help in the future you should get one of these
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOvKmUeLvVY[/YOUTUBE]
Couldn't resist!
Good luck.
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOvKmUeLvVY[/YOUTUBE]
Couldn't resist!
Good luck.
You're a cheerful guy this week.
