Anyone ever beat a ticket on their own?

[TurboDuane]

I think at the very least, you will be able to reduce the fine, and get it deferred. When you go and make your plea, if it's anything but guilty, they will set a date. On that date you will go before the City Attorney, (or whoever represents the the ticketing authority). He will call you up and ask you your plea. * Remember you are talking to the guy that is going to take you to court * Make your plea, show confidence in your case, and ask for a jury. Right then and there he will probably offer you some sort of deal, with Defered as an option. Here is your opportunity to bargin! You can explore a little here, possibly get the fine reduced, and possibly get a short deffered time if you are willing to pay your fine right then and there, try and make that part of the negotiation. Of course you can fight it all the way, only you can decide. If you do, you will have yet another date set for the actual trial.

See my last case: http://forums.dfwmiata.com/showthrea...ghlight=ticket

[OzCop]

All the above being said, I really hate the court system in Texas in regards to traffic offenses, especially local JPs and police judges... I've stated this in the past as I recall, but Texas law becons some departments to set up speed traps. These so-called speed traps are not for the sake of safety, rather they are revenue enhancement tools. Some states, such as KY, did away with police judges and local courts years ago, opting for a district court system. Under the Texas system, the jurisdiction issuing the citation receives 100% of the revenue generated through traffic enforcement, generally going to the general fund. This encourages speed traps and citations for other minor infractions rather than a warning. Some officers even have contests to see who can write the most in a given month. Of course, supervisors encourage such action because it brings in revenue, and they receive praise for generating the income.
Under the District Court system, all fine monies levied are sent to the state, and re-distributed throughout the state to operate the court systems. The issuing jurisdiction gets an amount commensurate with the size and activity of their respective judicial activity...The larger the jurisdictiion, the larger the courts system as a general rule, so the podunk revenue generators don't really get squat, depending on the size of the county and it's activities.
Safe driving is always encouraged, but as a cop for 27 years, I found that speed is not usually the only factor when it comes to unsafe driving. Speed is only one element. Most citations I issued during my career were more of a reckless driving variety where speeding was only one element of the charge. Of course, the severity of the speed infraction played a part in that also. My tolerance levels were actually pretty high, geographically dependant. On the interstate and other open highways with limited access, you had to be running in excess of 15 mph OVER the posted limit. Even that was not written in stone and was highly dependant on other circumstances, like traffic congestion, vehicle condition (subjective), highway and weather conditions, etc. Tolerance levels were a bit lower in residential areas, depending on density of the area, traffic, presence of children and other pedestrians, road width, sidewalks or not, etc. Sorry for the diatrible....

[Treibenschnell]

No, no... it's good to have info from the inside!

[wrxmr2eater]

Growing up in KY and living in Texas, I always drive slower in Kentucky. Kentucky was great for smaller fines, but points that hurt like hell and only allowing DD something like every 4 years.

I did like the ability in Texas to take DD once a year if needed, and deferred adjudication. Living in NC, they need deferred adjudication in some of the areas.

Tennessee is speed trap central, spend as little time there as you can.

Texas is king of income from tickets. I have never paid more for tickets than there. Doing 45 in a 35 in Austin cost me 195 dollars back when I lived there.

[POS Racing]

That is most definitely not the case I spoke with my agent after getting a nice little increase in my insurance rates, and we discussed tickets on my record. Tickets? I only had one on my record, it was a construction zone. All of the other ones were DD or DA. My agent told me that some courts send off the info to the state anyway, regardless of your choice of DA/DD.

Just be careful with the DD/DA thing, it's not always the safe thing.

I call BS did you actually get to see a copy of your record?? My agent is the one who recommended DA to me years ago, and I have used it several times. My record is clean and shiny!

Was the incident in question a DD deal or a DA deal?? What city & did you perhaps screw up and get a ticket in the same city during the DA period??

With DA here is the agreement:

At the end of the deferred adjudication period, providing you have complied with the Court's order, you case will be dismissed and you will not have a conviction for that charge. However, if you violate the conditions of your deferred adjudication, this may result in conviction

[Adam Payrot]

...

[black roadster]

[KNOCK ON WOOD]

I have had numerous tickets. Too many that I can't even remember. Mostly in my teens and twenties. EVERY ticket has been dismissed for one of the following reasons.

1. DD
2. DA
3. Cop didn't show in court.

I've used lawyers and I've done it myself with relatively the same results. Let me restate, according to my driving record, I have never had a speeding ticket.

[/KNOCK ON WOOD]

Maybe it was just bad luck on your part Adam.

[Billy Blaze]

I beat 3 tickets at the same time and got the other 30 or so people off the hook too, reasearch the law see if you can find a loophole.
The DA was pretty pissed, so be prepared for that should you win if you are going to try and fight it.

[Adam Payrot]

Maybe it was just bad luck on your part Adam.

Apparently, happens, even in the court system

[channelmaniac]

I call BS did you actually get to see a copy of your record??

To answer your call of BS, he can get a copy at the following places:

Online

or

Old Skool snail mail (for the technologically inept)

RJ

[onething]

I wonder how many times you've broken the "law" made a right hand turn where your rear wheel isn't within the required 6-24 inches from the curb, or any other obscure "law" that they could stick you with.

Whoa!

I never said I was perfect. I have gotten out of more tickets than I can count and was assigned to the isurance risk pool from your age until I was well into my 30's.

Two things always made the experience more tolerable. Even when the officer was a jerk, I was polite and respectful. When I got a ticket, I tried to remember all the times I should have been stopped.

Best example: 110 in a 55, and the first words the DPS officer had for me were, "I could haul your butt to jail right now." My reply was, "Yes sir." IIRC, the citation stated 75 in a 55.

I used to try to be out of the car with license in hand when the officer arrived. Now I"ll wait in the car with my hands draped over the steering wheel (another lesson in the wee hours of the morning).

The only time I was absolutely sure of my innocense I was in a strange truck. I was going with the flow, and when I saw the officer I checked the speedometer - right on the posted limit. Years later, I found out the speedometer in the truck was off by at least as much as the officer indicated. I was speeding, and it was my responsibility.

I apologize for the misunderstanding. Go to court. It is your right and an educational experience everyone should have. Just remember what OzCop said, and let us know how it works out.

[altiain]

I think Iain and I might be in the running for most tickets

Unfortunately, I doubt it. I bought a moped when I was fourteen (nineteen years ago), and I've been receiving speeding tickets at a pretty steady pace ever since.

[TheChadVIII]

Haha damnnn onething, 110...
I've had to pick a buddy out of holding for doing less than that before!

[Adam Payrot]

Unfortunately, I doubt it. I bought a moped when I was fourteen (nineteen years ago), and I've been receiving speeding tickets at a pretty steady pace ever since.

...

[onething]

Haha damnnn onething, 110...
I've had to pick a buddy out of holding for doing less than that before!

If you will reread the entire post, you will find the theme is proper attitude

[black roadster]

I'm getting up there pretty quick in my few short years of driving... At one point I added up what I spent in 6 months on tickets and I can't even go on vacation and not get a ticket

[Treibenschnell]

After all the tickets I've had I could have easily afforded one of those by now...

[icepenguin66]

Always plead not guilty! I've had at least 6 tickets dismissed on my own. If you loose the first time on your own then appeal and then pay a traffic attourney. Never give up against the Traffic Nazis!

[icepenguin66]

All the above being said, I really hate the court system in Texas in regards to traffic offenses, especially local JPs and police judges... I've stated this in the past as I recall, but Texas law becons some departments to set up speed traps. These so-called speed traps are not for the sake of safety, rather they are revenue enhancement tools. Some states, such as KY, did away with police judges and local courts years ago, opting for a district court system. Under the Texas system, the jurisdiction issuing the citation receives 100% of the revenue generated through traffic enforcement, generally going to the general fund. This encourages speed traps and citations for other minor infractions rather than a warning. Some officers even have contests to see who can write the most in a given month. Of course, supervisors encourage such action because it brings in revenue, and they receive praise for generating the income.
Under the District Court system, all fine monies levied are sent to the state, and re-distributed throughout the state to operate the court systems. The issuing jurisdiction gets an amount commensurate with the size and activity of their respective judicial activity...The larger the jurisdictiion, the larger the courts system as a general rule, so the podunk revenue generators don't really get squat, depending on the size of the county and it's activities.
Safe driving is always encouraged, but as a cop for 27 years, I found that speed is not usually the only factor when it comes to unsafe driving. Speed is only one element. Most citations I issued during my career were more of a reckless driving variety where speeding was only one element of the charge. Of course, the severity of the speed infraction played a part in that also. My tolerance levels were actually pretty high, geographically dependant. On the interstate and other open highways with limited access, you had to be running in excess of 15 mph OVER the posted limit. Even that was not written in stone and was highly dependant on other circumstances, like traffic congestion, vehicle condition (subjective), highway and weather conditions, etc. Tolerance levels were a bit lower in residential areas, depending on density of the area, traffic, presence of children and other pedestrians, road width, sidewalks or not, etc. Sorry for the diatrible....

I can only wish that all traffic officers had the same ideology.

[POS Racing]

So TheChadVIII how did all this play out for ya??