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To fight a ticket or not. #6729801
01/15/20 12:18 PM
01/15/20 12:18 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,912
Idaho Falls, ID
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Grandpa Trapper Offline OP
trapper
Grandpa Trapper  Offline OP
trapper
G

Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,912
Idaho Falls, ID
How many of you went to local court to challenge a ticket or citation such as a speeding ticket, game law violation, etc. and how did it end? I was once told by a now retired local district judge that if he could give advice is to take the ticket to court since a person doesn’t have much to lose except maybe paying extra for some court cost. Also, 1/3 of the cases brought before him, the defendant was found not guilty or were dismissed.

Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729806
01/15/20 12:24 PM
01/15/20 12:24 PM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,986
Shenandoah County, VA
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l1ranger Offline
trapper
l1ranger  Offline
trapper
L

Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,986
Shenandoah County, VA
i got a speeding ticket once.
went to court, and since I wasnt running around speeding all the time and getting tickets, judge let me take driving school and dropped the ticket.
it cost me a day and about $100 bucks, but definitely worth not having that on insurance.


Josh
Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729817
01/15/20 12:42 PM
01/15/20 12:42 PM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,666
Idaho, Lemhi County
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Gulo Offline
"On The Other Hand"
Gulo  Offline
"On The Other Hand"
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,666
Idaho, Lemhi County
I've received a total of 2 tickets in my life. Both back in the 70s. Both from the same state policeman, about a year apart. First was for crossing the center-line (inattentive driving) on a highway that one could see at least a mile in front. Second one was for not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign. In my mind they were BS tickets, but I was indeed guilty of both violations. I took them both to court, and judge threw 'em both out. It did cost me, though, as I had to take the judge on a couple more goose hunts.

Jack


Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729818
01/15/20 12:45 PM
01/15/20 12:45 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,663
S.E. Ohio
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M.Magis Offline
trapper
M.Magis  Offline
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M

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,663
S.E. Ohio
Unless you have a lot of tickets and another could cause legal/insurance issues, or cost you a large amount of money, there's no benefit to going to court. Around here at least. Court costs are basically the same as the ticket cost.

Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729821
01/15/20 12:51 PM
01/15/20 12:51 PM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 179
Wisconsin
lindner115 Offline
trapper
lindner115  Offline
trapper

Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 179
Wisconsin
WI used to take points off driver license when you got a driving violation, usually if it was 4 points for common speeding, and when you went to court they would cut it down to 2 points, fine stayed the same. FYI i think each person had 16 points and when they were gone you lost license for a year or something. As a kid my first ticket parents made me go to court, just as more punishment i think.

Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729825
01/15/20 12:54 PM
01/15/20 12:54 PM
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,971
Oklahoma
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Matt28 Offline
trapper
Matt28  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,971
Oklahoma
I have took a few to court and it has always paid off. I did have to do some community service to get a going left of cent of my driving record but I dont remember paying any court costs on any of the one that got dismissed or reduced. Only have paid court cost on the one I pled guilty to.

Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729826
01/15/20 12:56 PM
01/15/20 12:56 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
Bruce T Offline
trapper
Bruce T  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
Sometimes it pays.


Nevada bound
Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729829
01/15/20 12:58 PM
01/15/20 12:58 PM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,947
South metro, MN
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Calvin Offline
trapper
Calvin  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,947
South metro, MN
The last ticke I got (slow rolling a stop sign), I paid... Because I was guilty. Guess what? I don't roll stop signs anymore. Funny how taking a little accountability for your own actions works.

Yeah, I could have weaseled out of it, easily.... But then you're just a weasel.

Last edited by Calvin; 01/15/20 12:59 PM.
Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729835
01/15/20 01:03 PM
01/15/20 01:03 PM
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 64
MI, Metro Detroit
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UpNorthMI Offline
trapper
UpNorthMI  Offline
trapper
U

Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 64
MI, Metro Detroit
I received a BS ticket, left hand turn during school hours. It would seem that you cant make a left hand turn off a main road onto a side street during school hours. Went to court, was there about 2 hours, every single person was there for the same ticket. Judge reduced to impeding traffic, same fine, no points. Next day I drove 1 house past the street, made a left into their driveway, backed out, made a right hand turn onto the street and smiled and waved at the cop who gave me the ticket as I drove by. It can help going to court.

Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729839
01/15/20 01:06 PM
01/15/20 01:06 PM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,384
WI
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BvrRetriever Offline
trapper
BvrRetriever  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,384
WI
If I was indeed guilty, I’m not even sure how a person could plead your case. What is your defense? Yes, I’m guilty. But I don’t want to pay the fine! I promise I won’t do it again!

There was one instance where I thought about fighting a ticket. My wife got pulled over for speeding. The cop issued her a seatbelt ticket in lieu of a speeding ticket…even though she had her seatbelt on at the time! Turns out that the department was part of a grant focused on seatbelt enforcement. They had a quota to meet in order to justify the grant. Now that was pure BS but who’s going to argue a $10 ticket in lieu of a much more expensive speeding ticket? But I’m sure the judge wouldn’t find much humor in what happened that day and probably would have dropped the ticket. However, small town cops don’t forget.

Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Calvin] #6729843
01/15/20 01:12 PM
01/15/20 01:12 PM
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,472
ohio
S
skippyturtle Offline
trapper
skippyturtle  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,472
ohio
Originally Posted by Calvin
The last ticke I got (slow rolling a stop sign), I paid... Because I was guilty. Guess what? I don't roll stop signs anymore. Funny how taking a little accountability for your own actions works.

Yeah, I could have weaseled out of it, easily.... But then you're just a weasel.

kind of like doing favors for the judge to get out of things.


NTA
OSTA
Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729850
01/15/20 01:18 PM
01/15/20 01:18 PM
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 4,822
Nevada
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nvwrangler Offline
trapper
nvwrangler  Offline
trapper
N

Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 4,822
Nevada
I got a speeding ticket 20 years ago , didn't see the sign. Officer got my address and name wrong on the ticket, so I called the court clerk and told them. She had me write a letter to the court informing them of the mistake so the fine could be sent to me with a copy of the ticket.

Judge fined me $10 instead of $250 because I didn't try to beat the system by the officers errors and it didn't go on my record. I never missed slowing down in the town again tho.

Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729923
01/15/20 02:25 PM
01/15/20 02:25 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,907
PA
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elkaholic Offline
trapper
elkaholic  Offline
trapper
E

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,907
PA
First ticket I got I took to court. Got wrote up for speeding in a Hill's/K-Mart parking lot. Got the cop on the stand and asked one question. "How did you determine I was speeding?" He had no answer because in PA only staties are allowed to run radar, and there were no lines on the ground for timing. Judge threw that one out.

Two weeks later same cop got me again. But this time wrote the ticket for wreckless driving, and sent it by mail. Took that one to court as well. Got out of that one when my recruiter showed up to court to alibi me for being with him at the federal building for a swearing in ceremony. It was my sister driving the car.

Came home on leave 6 months later got nailed again by the same cop for running a stop sign. Paid that one. Figured third time was the charm and I was going to get hit hard.


Fourth one the cop cut me a break (was doing 80 in a 45, wrote me for 70 in a 55) Paid that one off. I figure I wasn't going to take that one to court because he did cut me a break.


Millions of trees die every year to print environmentalist publications
Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729945
01/15/20 02:39 PM
01/15/20 02:39 PM
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,922
east central WI
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Dirty D Offline
trapper
Dirty D  Offline
trapper
D

Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,922
east central WI
I have fought 2 tickets in my life.
one for disorderly conduct, directing traffic on a state hwy.
I was walking across a city street that happen to also be a state hwy with 3 others, there was a blind corner that traffic could come around, when a car appeared around the corner we were in the middle of the street.
I raised my hand to stop the car while we ran the rest of the way across the road. Cop was sitting at the intersection and saw the whole thing. Wrote me up without a word about it.
Judge asked for explanation, thought I was maybe on a 4 lane hwy or something. When he heard the my side he asked the cop if what I said was significantly true, Cop said yes, judge said case dismissed and reamed out the cop for wasting the courts time.

2nd time I was traveling to Brainerd MN (on I-94) for car races on a motorcycle with cousin who was on another bike.
Just short of Hudson at about 9-10 at night we could see lightning in the distance, stopped for gas. Attendant said severe storms coming our way. We continued until it started raining.
Found an over pass with a guard rail. Parked our bikes on the ditch side of the guard rail out of any possibility of getting hit by vehicles. Turned on the rear lights on the bikes. Went up to the narrow top part of the underside of the over pass to stay out of the rain.
Just as it was getting light a State trooper stopped and gave us both tickets for "failure to obey official traffic sign", that would be emergency stopping only.
Made us ride in the rain to Hudson to post bond.
We decided to fight it.
We drove all the way across the state from West Bend to Hudson on the court date.
Found the court room and went in. It was empty. Waited about 10 minutes and some dude in a flannel shirt and jeans comes in.
Asked us who we were. Said "just a minute" and left.
About 5 minutes later he comes back with some young woman, maybe 25 years old. He sits at a table in the front facing us and asks where the trooper is.
Woman says "don't know, I'm sure he'll be here soon."
Turns out the guy in front is the judge. He says "lets begin".
Then he mentions that we drove all the way from West bend to fight this ticket.
The woman then gets all excited and says "You're from West Bend?, I was born and raised in West Bend, do you know so and so?
It was like old home week for a minute or so.
Judge chimes in and asks us to explain the ticket.
After we explain what happened he says " I don't see any reason to push this any further, case dismissed".
We get up to leave and collect our bond and the trooper walks in.
The Woman, who was the prosecutor quickly tells the trooper "we dismissed the case".
You should of seen the Troopers face.
I'll never forget that.

Both cases for whatever reason the cop had a bug up his butt that day and took it out on me.

I have gotten many other tickets in my time that I knew I had coming and never fought.

Gotta know which ones are worth the effort.

Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729957
01/15/20 02:57 PM
01/15/20 02:57 PM
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 25,692
nm
A
adam m Offline
trapper
adam m  Offline
trapper
A

Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 25,692
nm
I've always gone to court. It used to be if the officer didn't show it was dismissed. If ther officer did show usually there was a plea deal.
Now they changed it you have to go to court the officer doesn't have to show but you still can make a deal. Like a deferred sentence or if you complete driver improvement school then off your record etc...

Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729963
01/15/20 03:04 PM
01/15/20 03:04 PM
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 1,539
Saucier, Mississippi Harrison ...
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turkn8rtrapper Offline
trapper
turkn8rtrapper  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 1,539
Saucier, Mississippi Harrison ...
If I'm guilty I just pay them. No need to challenge the LEO for doing his job. I'm an adult I know the consiquinces of my actions and I did it and got caught. If it a B S ticket then I always go to court. That said I've been ticket free for quite a few years. I would maybe go even if I was guilty to try and get the judge to set a lower fine but I wouldn't be there to to try and make the officer do wrong. In other words explain myself say I was sorry and I don't ever do that sort of thing. That kind of conversation with the judge.


"Skin that smokewagon and see what happens"
Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729982
01/15/20 03:25 PM
01/15/20 03:25 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 15,594
MN, Land of 10,000 Lakes
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Trapper7 Online content
trapper
Trapper7  Online Content
trapper
T

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 15,594
MN, Land of 10,000 Lakes
With some insurance companies one speeding ticket can cause your insurance premium to go up.


I don't care how nice the hand soap smells, you should never walk out of the restroom sniffing your fingers.
Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729988
01/15/20 03:28 PM
01/15/20 03:28 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,661
Minnesota
330-Trapper Offline

trapper
330-Trapper  Offline

trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,661
Minnesota
If it dosent cost more to take time off work & you feel you have a case go for Court


NRA and NTA Life Member
www.BackroadsRevised@etsy.com




Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6729991
01/15/20 03:33 PM
01/15/20 03:33 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,460
ny
G
gcs Offline
trapper
gcs  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,460
ny
Last ticket I got was last year, before that over 40 years, I accidentally ran over some road cones and failed to stop, well this got the attention of the road sergeant who happened to be nearby and he sent one of his guys to run me down...cop was a nice guy , said he only stopped me cause the sergeant was annoyed, and yes the sgt came by to make sure I was stopped, lol.
wrote me for imprudent operation of a motor vehicle, which is about impossible to fight, but I was guilty so I send the ticket in.
I get a letter that I really need to see the ADA. So I show up in court for my pre plea party and found out the county has a scheme that encourages a guilty plea, they offer a parking violation, no points, no insurance bump ,but the same fine as the original violation....or go to trial

I wish I had a 1/10 of 1% of the money they were taking in, it wasn't a gold mine, it was a diamond mine.

So all that to say this, sometimes it pays to go to court, cool

Re: To fight a ticket or not. [Re: Grandpa Trapper] #6730038
01/15/20 04:18 PM
01/15/20 04:18 PM
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 2,239
SW WI
trapper20 Offline
trapper
trapper20  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 2,239
SW WI
I use to speed a lot, and every once in a while id get pinched. Why fight it? if your guilty your guilty!!!! I can see calling the DA asking for some leanancy but where is all this accountability everyone is talking about?

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