Fighting a Ticket Advice

[MedicDVG]

Know the law, but don't try to teach the judge the law.. You will never win trying to convinve the judge that youknow the law better then they.

You can consult a lawyer -- generally the first visit is free to see if you have a case or not. Or if you are a poor college student, there are many legal aid type legal help centers on campus and some even will help you with a lawyer if you need it.

[PsychoBaller]

I have a recent Ticket story like that too.

It was round 10pm on a Sunday night. I was about 5 minutes from my house in North Jersey, coming from my Girlfriends house in south south jersey (2-3hrs away) where i was fo the weekend. I was on the phone (headset) and changing a CD at the same time or whathaveyou, and out of nowhere I see lights flashing in my rearview. Apparently I get pulled over for running a red light...... The cop takes my info, yada yada, turns out i have an expired Insurance or Registration card which is like $180 penalty, $100 more than the Red light thing. He writes me up for the expired card instead o the light.

I went to court on my date, plead not guilty, got dismissed in 10minutes without even having to stand before the judge (just talked to the prosecuter beforehand).

I rule.

[punkncat]

Paying a lawyer $250+ for an $85 ticket seems pretty retarded to me, dude.

What seems pretty retarded is a young dude driving a Mustang showing up in court alone w/ some "I am innocent". Trust that the Judge will definately believe you over his officer.

Trust also that your raised insurance cost will total more than $250 after this ticket hits your driving record.

Play it your way brainiack. You are the one who asked advice on a legal matter from a forum comprised mainly of other young people, many of which can't drive anyway, and if they could, would have gotten the same ticket.

You should be(are)old enough to know that taking your foot off the gas to regain traction was the sensible thing to do and you didn't. Seems like you even noted that yourself somewhere here in the thread? Too lazy to look again....

Enjoy your fine coolbreese.

[Thordic]

I'm 25, I'm not a freaking highschooler jackass. I'm not like little kid showing up in court without his mommy for christs sake. I'm an adult, and I can represent myself like one. WTF bug crawled up your ***?

Also, I have NJM insurance, they don't raise your rates. Period. If you are on their plan, you pay the same price no matter what, unless you really screw up and they drop your policy, so insurance rates aren't the issue here.

[punkncat]

I'm 25, I'm not a freaking highschooler jackass.

Well you really showed your developed sense of maturity while you were stomping on the gas waiting to gain traction in your sportscar didn't you?

It only matters that it APPEARED to the police officer that you were burning off the tires. He can only make a judgement based on what he thought he saw. If you were so dang convinced that it was the weather conditions, why wasn't he when you got the ticket? I can dang sure tell you the Judge isn't going to take your word over his unless you are EXTREMELY lucky and the judges wife was being nice the day before.

Good luck.

Oh and your insurance rocks, cause that is NOT the norm.

PS. the bug that crawled up my rear was you calling my advice retarded. I wasn't the one who got the ticket pal. I was simply offering real advice that offers to give you a real solution. Do you even have a clue how many "know it all" young adults ( with or w/o mommy) show up in court claiming to know better what really happened? (in hindsight and attempting to explain their way out of the fine?)

[Thordic]

You are the one who asked advice on a legal matter from a forum comprised mainly of other young people, many of which can't drive anyway, and if they could, would have gotten the same ticket.

And if you read the thread, you'd notice the average age of the people giving useful advice was around 31.

[punkncat]

And if you read the thread, you'd notice the average age of the people giving useful advice was around 31.

Sorry dude , I stand corrected. My mistake of not going back and checking the median age of all posters to this thread makes my advice irrellevant(sp?).....

[SlartyBartFast]

It only matters that it APPEARED to the police officer that you were burning off the tires.

Absolutely NOT. The APPERANCE is only important as to whether the officer issues the citation or not. Judgement of guilt or innocence is based on the Judges determination of the facts and accused's intent.

And in addition, it IS NOT always possible to gain traction without spinning.

Ever wonder why you can turn traction control off? So that you CAN spin the tires to gain traction.

Worst annoyance I had at home was getting into a car I didn't know had traction control. My driveway is STEEP going into a basement garage. The owner had parked facing my garage door and the driveway was icy and covered in a couple inches of snow. I put the car in reverse and gave it gas... All that happened was the engine cut to low revs no matter what I did and the car moved down the driveway towards my garage door.

Once I went in to complain about the car, and found the bloody thing had traction control, I went out, turned it off, and easily exited my driveway spinning the tires.

Maximum traction for tires (accelerating or decelerating) is at about 10% slip.

[SlartyBartFast]

Know the law, but don't try to teach the judge the law.. You will never win trying to convinve the judge that youknow the law better then they.

Nobody suggested you try and teach the judge or prosecuter the law.

Be smart, be civil, show that YOU know the law and you're not a pushover.

[SlartyBartFast]

Well you really showed your developed sense of maturity while you were stomping on the gas waiting to gain traction in your sportscar didn't you?

"Stomping"?

Ever driven on ice and snow? Don't have to stomp to spin.

And why are you lumping legitimate defence against a ticket with "know-it-all" young adults?

There's a big difference between a "know-it-all" attitude and ACTUALLY knowing what you're speaking about. Nobody has advocated or acted like the former (perhaps with one exception? ) and have instead suggested the latter which will result in the cancellation of the ticket even if the Judge is having a moderatly crappy day.

[Ole Unka Phil]

39:4-97.**** Careless driving*
A person who drives a vehicle carelessly, or without due caution and circumspection, in a manner so as to endanger, or be likely to endanger, a person or property, shall be guilty of careless driving.*

Amended 1951,c.23,s.54; 1955, c.220,s.2; 1995, c.70,s.3.*

I guess its going to be a matter of your word against the Policemans. Or should I say your judgement of the level of endangerment that was present versus his? So its a matter of whether or not it was endangering or likely to endanger a person or property. If you admit you spun out then its likely that that can be assumed. No matter what the real outcome was because the law does not specificly say the worst case scenario outcome has to occur. It says "Likely" and anything is possible I suppose.

I would just do as you plan. And don't listen to people telling you not to go to court. It's your right to do so. And if you feel that endagerment was not likely then you should fight it. I guess fight is not the right word here.... maybe just argue your point that spinning out was not out of control and was consistent with the conditions and not caused by willfull actions on your part. Which admittedly you should not be driving in those conditions but the act that resulted was not willfully harmfull and did not rise to the level of endangerment. Being contrite and polite as you intend to will not hurt anything. Mainly I think you should at least try because the insurance points is what kills ya. That costs money over years. Its not the fine but the lasting lingering bleeding to the insurance companies. Good luck with it.

[Gtask8]

Bring a gun, have a parachute on, and eat a subway 12" sub.

[Ole Unka Phil]

I'm 25, I'm not a freaking highschooler jackass.

A) I consider 25 to be fairly young
B) I certainly hope your not still in high school. But did you finish?
C) whether or not your a jackass is up for some debate!

[SCpoloRicker]

A) I consider 25 to be fairly young
B) I certainly hope your not still in high school. But did you finish?
C) whether or not your a jackass is up for some debate!

*golfclap*

/good advice, too

[punkncat]

Slarty Bart....

I am in too good a mood today to get into it with you. Things are too bright and shiny for me to ruin it trying to .....ehhh

Luck of the Irish and Happy St. Pats ya Canuck!