How to Fight a Traffic Ticket
From page 50 of May 2008,issue of Wired
Wired asked attorney David Brown, author of "Beat Your Ticket," for the following legal advice:
- Play dumb. Answering "yes" to a policeman's question, "Do you know why I stopped you," is an admission of
guilt. Don't admit anything.
- Prepare. Request the officer's notes from his department, and research the related statute at the library
or at FindLaw.com. Many traffic laws have areas that might allow you to avoid
the penalties. For example,"unsafe lane change" is a judgement made by the police officer which can be
challenged.
- Stall. Two weeks prior your trial, request a continuance from the court clerk. The longer you delay, the
less likely the officer will be able to attend, which should result in a dismissal of the charges if you ask for
one.
- Argue. Bring photos, diagrams, distance-over-time calculations to your hearing. David Brown says that any
reasonable objection may reduce the charge and your fine or even cause the judge to dismiss the charges, entirely.
According to the National Motorists Association, about half of all drivers who fight their tickets in court win
their cases.
Although it has been said that a person who acts as his own attorney has a fool for a client, traffic violations
can be challenged by you, and you can increase your chances of getting the charges reduced or thrown out if you
adhere to the guidelines in Brown's book, "Beat Your Ticket."