LEGAL WINS (the people vs. mark latency)
mylatency
10,475 Posts
Anyone else won any court cases lately? I'm guessing Faux will be weighing in, how about you, JRoot?Anyhow, I took a Red light camera-enforced traffic ticket to trial today. The cameras and video snapped me making a right turn on red. I only made a slight pause of a stop, which triggered their sensors and the ticket was sent to me in the mail. I decided to fight it, so I posted bail and wanted to take it to trial. After a lengthy statement from the police officer assigned to the case, the comissioner (judge?) watched the video footage off the police officer's laptop three times. He agreed that he couldn't prove without a doubt that the pause I made wasn't a stop, so he declared me not guilty. 
The thing that gets me is that prior to the trial, the police officer held a "consultation" regarding the ticket with three of us who were all in court for the red light camera ticket. The police officer successfully persuaded the two other dudes (who seemed shook) to reverse their plea in hopes of a reduced fine after showing them the video recording. I wasn't having it and I opted for the trial. Sucks for those other two dudes, because the judge immediately charged them the minimum fee of $351. Dudes were schitt outta luck with a guilty plea! Is that legal???
The thing that gets me is that prior to the trial, the police officer held a "consultation" regarding the ticket with three of us who were all in court for the red light camera ticket. The police officer successfully persuaded the two other dudes (who seemed shook) to reverse their plea in hopes of a reduced fine after showing them the video recording. I wasn't having it and I opted for the trial. Sucks for those other two dudes, because the judge immediately charged them the minimum fee of $351. Dudes were schitt outta luck with a guilty plea! Is that legal???
Comments
I had a little traffic run-in a couple of weeks ago myself. I was sitting at a red light talking on my phone (now illegal in DC) when this dude made a wide turn and almost hit me. He threw his hands up in the air as if I had done something wrong and then pulled up next to me and told me to hang up my phone. Being the hothead that I am I told the dude to fuck off..
Turns out he was a plainclothes detective in an unmarked car and he made a big scene pulling me over with the lights and the siren and everything. He even threatened to ticket me for not wearing a seatbelt, which was total bullshit. He told me the fine for the cell phone was $100 and that I was going to have 2 points on my license (turns out the 2 points part was bullshit).
Anyways, I read the cell phone law and it specifically states that a car must be in motion in order for the driver to be in violation. So I'm definitely disputing it. And I'm definitely going to get an earpiece joint.
Exactly. If you can, fight that schitt. I think it's too easy to give in, because most of the time it's chumpy change.
I got a $250.00 ticket for speeding and decided to go to "Defensive Driving Class".
It was a two night class, 4 hours each night. On the way to the second night's class I got pulled over by a cop because a gas station had just been robbed and the get away vehicle matched mine.
After he determined I wasn't the crook, he let me go to my class but I was late.
As I entered the class the cranky old guy who was teaching said "You're late....find a seat and we'll figure out how you can make it up to the class later".
It was the most boring class ever.....folks were falling asleep.
In the last hour of the class he was trying to explain why you need to drive slow through a School Zone. He was trying to make the point that kids cross the street just like squirrels...they cross halfway and then look to see if a car is coming.
So he's asking the class "How does a squirrel cross the street?"...no one answers.... "C'mon, hasn't anyone ever seen a squirrel cross the street?" he asks again....still no answer...so I raised my hand and when he calls on me I say "They grab their nuts and run as fast as they can"
The class laughs and cranky old teacher is PISSED.
He kicks me out of the class and says I'll have to start over from scratch.
I go home and embarrassingly tell my wife how I got kicked out and that I'm NOT taking the class again...I'll just pay the damn ticket.
The next day I go to court.....and when I hand my ticket to the Judge he gives me the usual routine..."You qualify for Defensive Driving Class....blah blah blah."
I then tell him that the reason I'm there is I got kicked out of Defensive Driving Class and I tell him the whole story.
He laughs his ass off and tells me I don't have to pay the ticket, that between the 7 hours of class and making him laugh I had paid my dues!!
Good luck D***!
Hell yeah! That rocks! I have a feeling if you can "appeal" to these traffic/small claims judges in a reasonable manner, they will swing your way.
For real man, I got fined for taking off my seat-belt for a split second while i was trying to adjust my tie. $87. bullshit.
Law is law though, and there are certainly a grip of people that can't multi-task on the road.
Damn dude, that totally sucks. A cop pulled you over for that????
early in the morning too. i glance over i see a cop just loungin' at the entrance to Ross, i glance away quickly knowing my seat-belt was unfastened. I pass, and it followed me slowly with the lights blinking. FUCK. i asked how many tickets you write everyday, she told me like 15-20.
Damn dude, you should have used your other hand gotten that schitt fastened while fixing your tie!
a couple days ago i got pulled over for not wearing my seatbelt but the dude let me go cuz i told him i was just getting out of the parking lot after getting food. got lucky he pulled me over then cuz my insurance expired today so i woulda been screwed. ive never gotten a driving violation in my 6 or so years driving.
i got fined for "parking in front of a driveway" a few months back and wrote a letter protesting it. i took pictures and wrote a detailed letter explaining how i wasnt in front of the driveway at all. the people had 3 cars parked in front of their crib and one of them couldnt get out because of my car. they sent me a note back saying i had to pay it, but i could send another letter for a "hearing by mail".. so i sent the same exact letter in and they dismissed the $75 fine.
i heard that usually if you write in a letter that's really detailed and long, most of the time they'll dismiss it. also, it gives you a few months so you dont have to pay the fine right away.
yeah, campus parking regulations are ridiculous but lenient. ive had over 200 dollars worth of tickets removed by protesting. just have to put in the effort, they are too lazy to care after that.