Anybody beaten a traffic ticket representing themselves at trial?

[dallas27]

I beat a ticket for speeding in '98 by presenting a federal study outlining the guidelines for accurate use of VASCAR and how the officer was not in compliance. Uniontown PA speed trap.


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[PhrugalPhan]

I supposedly ran a red light (2008?). Went to court with an explanation, not disagreeing with the officer but had google satellite photos of the intersection to back up my view point. The ticket was dismissed. I didn't have the best argument, but after sitting in the court room for 2 hours listening to the terrible excuses people gave and even those getting their tickets reduced, I knew I had a decent shot at it.

 

[John Galt III]

Beat one ticket when cop didn't show up. Lost one when cop did show up. On 3 other tickets, have gone to court and gotten a deal to pay a large fine (larger than the ticket) to have the ticket not show up on record, thereby avoiding huge car insurance premium hike.

 

[Big_Hitter]

I don't think David Sprecher (Houston) has ever lost a case. All the guys in my car club used him.

 

[utrecht]

Ironic how people are bragging about beating tickets using a variety of technicalities. Some legitimate and others not so much.....but I got jumped on for saying I wouldn't pay income tax if I didn't get a 1099 for an overseas transaction with a non American.

 

[pb4uski]

That is because intentionally not reporting income as you proposed is tax evasion and is clearly a violation... there is no technicality that comes into play. It was black & white.

In these other cases it might be that the speed limit signage doesn't meet the statutory standards or other reasons why a ticket might not be enforceable. Clearly two very different things.

What I find odd is that you can't see the difference.

 

[Big_Hitter]

What I find odd is that you can't see the difference.

agreed - huge difference

 

[utrecht]

Like I said, some technicalities are legitimate and other aren't. If there really is a lawyer named David Sprecher in Houston who has never lost a case, do you really think each and every time he won with no technicality? Not possible.

Is that really how you want your tax dollars spent? Cops spending their time writing tickets, city prosecutors spending their time prosecuting traffic offenders, and Municipal judges getting paid, while lawyers get people off over and over again on technicalities? If you are speeding, you should take your punishment. Not count on a lawyer to continually reset the case 6 times (if the officer works a different shift he is getting paid overtime 5 times) until one of those times the officer happens to be in another court, or is sick, or doesnt show up for whatever other reason.

 

[Big_Hitter]

he exists and has never lost a case I'm aware of; I'm pretty sure he's lost one or two, who knows call him and ask.


IMO, there is a huge difference between not reporting income and defending yourself against a misdemeanor criminal charge in court.

 

[utrecht]

I believe that he rarely, if ever, loses a case. The point is that all he is doing is manipulating and taking advantage of serious inefficiencies of the Municipal court system. Its costing everyone money.

If the officer made a mistake about it being illegal to turn right, or there's a grey area in some law or some sign was hidden by vegetation, then by all means go to court and have the mistake corrected. But when you know you were speeding and you go to court to "defend yourself" knowing you can get off on a technicality, I would say that's not exactly honorable.

 

[dallas27]

Screw legality. Ask the judge to convert the ticket into a non-moving violation, like littering. The county gets more money and you avoid points. This is a Extremely common strategy that the counties/town love to grant.


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[utrecht]

Screw legality. Ask the judge to convert the ticket into a non-moving violation, like littering. The county gets more money and you avoid points. This is a Extremely common strategy that the counties/town love to grant.


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Nothing wrong with that. That's just like a plea bargain that's used all the time in criminal court.

 

[Andre1969]

Where can you turn right from a non curb lane? Aren't you cutting in front of people in the curb lane possibly causing an accident?

There are a few intersections where I live that have two right turn lanes. The roads they turn onto have two lanes in each direction, so I thought it was understood that whatever lane you're in, you turn onto (if you're in the curb lane, you turn onto the curb lane; next lane over turns into the next lane over)

 

[utrecht]

There are a few intersections where I live that have two right turn lanes. The roads they turn onto have two lanes in each direction, so I thought it was understood that whatever lane you're in, you turn onto (if you're in the curb lane, you turn onto the curb lane; next lane over turns into the next lane over)

About 18 years ago when I was a patrol officer, I had just been transferred to a new part of town. I pulled over a car for turning right from the second lane. When I approached the car and told the lady why I pulled her over, she told me that there were two right turn lanes at that intersection. I had never heard of that before but she sounded confident, so I held on to her license and told her I would be right back. I drove back to the intersection and she was correct. Like I said, I had never worked this area before and had never seen two right turn lanes before. I drove back to her, apologized for her inconvenience and sent her on her way.

I had forgotten about that until just now. Unfortunately, a lot of officers are like baseball umpires and don't want to admit they made a mistake which is a bad way to live your life in most situations.

 

[gindie]

I just realized that I had forgotten to return here and update the situation.

One other detail to add to the set-up. My ticket was on a military installation, making it a FEDERAL case. So, I got to appear in front of a Federal Magistrate. When my case was called, I walked up in front of the judge. When the prosecutor spoke, it was mentioned that the citing officer had been consulted and it was decided that I had been mischarged, and that the government was dismissing my case!

 

[kgtest]

Short story, I got a ticket. I paid the fine the day it was due. The county didn’t notify the state and my license was suspended. Pulled over, and almost booked but got a ride home and a court date instead. On the day of court I had enough paperwork to prove to prosecutor that indeed the original tickets fine was paid. The prosecutor dropped my driving with suspended license and left me with court fees for the days work. Went down town to pay court fees which coincidentally were the exact same amount as if I had been fined for driving while suspended.

I wouldn't say I "won" but I did fight it and they dropped the wrongful charge. Technically everyone involved lost IMHO.

 

[pb4uski]

So you had to pay court fees because the county didn't notify the state that you paid the ticket? Did you object?