Who's beat their traffic ticket in court? What's the story behind it?

[m4gician]

Most of you have a success story to share. Probably one of the best feelings you can have is beating a traffic ticket in court, whether it's by a technicality (majority) or it's by simply proving your innocence, they're always good stories to read. I'm going to copy and paste my speeding charge in the US and how I beat it, but I have few more if there's any momentum behind this thread, including how I beat a fire hydrant parking ticket where I was innocent and had no proof other than my hockey stick.

from here: http://forums.redflagdeals.com/i-got...nside-1097919/

Hey guys,

I know speeding threads are a dime a dozen on this forum and talking or admitting to speeding is blasphemy. You're supposed to have the pitchfork in your hand saying you never speed, but to me not getting caught or getting out of it is the same thing as never speeding.

Anyways, I was caught outside of Buffalo, at 4:25am in the morning on a Monday on the way back driving straight back from NYC. It was on I290W, and unlike Canadian roads the speed limits kept changing from 55mph to 65mph back to 55mph then 65mph. I had cuise control set at 75mph. It was early in the morning, whatever.

Anyways, I saw a 65mph sign when I set it. I must've missed the 55mph sign because when the officer pulled me over, I didn't actually see it. Regardless. He asked me where I was coming from, etc. I made sure not to say anything, wrote down everything and answered his questions exactly without emotion. He said I was going 76 in a 55 or something like 30ishkm/h over

Can't have this on my record, it's an uncessary increase in insurance premiums especially when I'm trying to get that property I want. So, as per searching this forum, I found the website of a lawyer in Western New York who defends traffic tickets like this and has a special section just for Canadians caught speeding (Ontario/Quebec). The website is http://notspeeding.com and the lawyer's name is Matis.

In the NY state I found it's a bit different when it comes to a speeding charge. The whole process:
- First of all, officer gives you a printed out ticket (like a Toronto parking ticket) so it's harder to find error
- They MAIL you an officer deposition right away, signed by the officer in a letter including the equipment he used (LIDAR in my case) like disclosure
- Your court date is AUTOMATICALLY set and for me it was 1 month from the offense date exactly.

So I called Matis up, and as you need a lawyer and not a paralegal, he took care of it for me. He told me that I was 1mph over the threshold of penalty but he'd work on it. I paid his fee (very similar fee to Canadian PARALEGALS) and he got it reduced to...get this....a PARKING TICKET. A non moving, non insurance affecting violation. The parking ticket was a costly one, $100, but whatever. I'll pay that every day if I can get out of a huge speeding charge like that on LIDAR where I'm essentially DOA. Laser is too damn accurate, believe me I've tried. If they use a lidar detector on you, you're SOL.

Anyways, if you're ever caught in NY state, know that you need a lawyer if you want to dispute and that the one I recommend because I had a 21mph reduced to a non moving parking ticket (insurance doesn't see it) by going to http://notspeeding.com

[yao416]

Lack of evidence. Charges withdrawn. Win

[m4gician]

Lack of evidence. Charges withdrawn. Win

what charge?

[helenhelen]

how in the world did you get it reduced to a parking ticket?? didn't know that could happen. if i could get mine reduced to that too, i'd be satisfied.

[White Comet]

Speeding 65km/h or 70km/h in a 50km/h downhill zone. Case was withdrawn because of lack of evidence on E-ticket (York region). That reasoning, I don't even know if its valid, but it was thrown out because of that.

[Drew_W]

how in the world did you get it reduced to a parking ticket?? didn't know that could happen. if i could get mine reduced to that too, i'd be satisfied.

They could do this in Toronto. They roll these speeding tickets to 10 or 15 over, a fine that's like $60. Facing an insurance hike, I'd definitely pay a $350-400 parking ticket in lieu of the speeding ticket. Honestly, better the money go to the city than to those grubby insurance companies.

[helenhelen]

They could do this in Toronto. They roll these speeding tickets to 10 or 15 over, a fine that's like $60. Facing an insurance hike, I'd definitely pay a $350-400 parking ticket in lieu of the speeding ticket. Honestly, better the money go to the city than to those grubby insurance companies.

so how would one go about requesting this? do you just plead guilty in court and request that it be changed to a parking ticket violation (so the conviction is entered that way) and you pay the same amount of the fine?

[Drew_W]

so how would one go about requesting this? do you just plead guilty in court and request that it be changed to a parking ticket violation (so the conviction is entered that way) and you pay the same amount of the fine?

You didn't read this thread or my post. This doesn't exist in Toronto.

[durrsak]

Most of you have a success story to share. Probably one of the best feelings you can have is beating a traffic ticket in court, whether it's by a technicality (majority) or it's by simply proving your innocence, they're always good stories to read. I'm going to copy and paste my speeding charge in the US and how I beat it, but I have few more if there's any momentum behind this thread, including how I beat a fire hydrant parking ticket where I was innocent and had no proof other than my hockey stick.

from here: http://forums.redflagdeals.com/i-got...nside-1097919/

No win if you hired Legal Help. I thought this thread was about showing your skills as a lawyer

[grant]

I merged in front of an unmarked police vehicle, the cop started honking and then pulled me over and gave me a failure-to-yield ticket. I felt it was a safe merge and suspected the cop was just being sensitive because he's used to motorists giving him 30ft of space in every direction.

Went to court, and had pictures of the complicated intersection to explain why it's common for it to induce tight merges (basically: you only have about 20 feet of warning that right-of-way traffic is coming.) I believed I couldn't brake successfully before the lanes merged, so I instead accelerated and completed the merge. It seemed like a good defence.

Right when court starts the cop pulls me out of the courtroom and tells me "I don't have notes so I will dismiss the ticket. I didn't want to say it front of everyone in the court." Was disappointed I wouldn't get to argue my case but still, a win is a win.

[longitude]

11b charter of rights and freedoms

[001Stunna]

Parking Ticket - reduced to $10
Parking Ticket - won (cop no show)
Parking Ticket - went to trial and won(i actually paid for parking but the ticket showed me paying 1min after the ticket was given, pretty much as i was walking to the meter he gave me a ticket)
Turn Right on NO TURN HOURS - won on 11b, also had pics showing the sign had been spray painted with white paint over it even though the officer claimed HE COULD still see it so I should too)

[qaz393]

interesting

[vaportech]

Passed a cop doing 135km on the 407, received tickets for no insurance papers, no license plate renewal sticker on registration, and speeding 15 over: document charges withdrawn when I brought them to court. Speeding ticket withdrawn lack evidence.

Went through speed trap at 50km+, withdrawn lack of evidence.

Passed another cop on 407 going 145, ticket for 135 cop said speedometer was not accurate past 120km/hr, withdrawn lack of evidence.

[ah_long]

it was about 5 years ago when I was travelling with my ex gf going from YYZ to YUL. Back then, I was sitting behind the wheel of a 2007 VW Rabbit 2.5L (the car handled high speeds nicely, god bless German engineering). I was young and I was trying to get the YUL asap.

I remember passing by a red civic and leaving it in dust.

There was a stretch around Brockville where there are cliff like formation on the side of the 401 and I thought to myself there's no way a cop could hide around here so I sped up. And boy was I right, there was no cop at that stretch of the highway.

Little do I know, there was a cop waiting right after the cliffs. As I pass by the female OPP officer, I knew I was fk'd. (There were a few times in hind sight I told myself I should've just sped up and get out, there's no way she could catch up). Anyhow, normal reflexes kicked in and I braked and the next thing I saw was the flashing lights of the OPP cruiser.

We went through the usual "how fast you're going?" dialogue and blah blah blah. Back in the days you won't get your car towed unless you're gong 180, I considered myself lucky.

Remember the red civic I passed by about half an hour ago? It went pass me while I was being served with the yellow paper.

Needless to say, the rest of the trip was pretty much ruined for myself (dinner was tasteless, my mind was heavy at the attractions.. but the $ex was still okay)

I starting thinking of ways I could get off the ticket, calling frantically to friends who recommended me different paralegals.

As soon as I get back to Toronto, I started calling up the paralegals. Most of them say the same thing and the most they can do is make a plea to drop it down to 4 points with no suspension. Most of them cost around $500 for this ticket and given the trip to Brockville court.

Then I went to Redline under the recommendation of a friend and despite the higher cost ($7xx), I decided to go with them because they have the never give up attitude. They helped me reschedule the court date so my insurance renews before it. I knew back then if I got convicted even with the 4 point ticket, my parents would take me off the insurance and I won't be able to drive.

I lived in fear for the next 8 months.

Fast forward to the court date, I got a call from the guy @ Redline.

Guy: "We could not get the charge lowered (aka no deal with the prosecutor), they insisted on a court date."
Me: "$h!t, so what now?"
Guy: "Well, they didn't provide us with the disclosure and we submitted the case to the crown."
Me: "And?"
Guy: "Well, the judge accepted our case and based on the fact that we did not receive disclosure, it's an unfair trial so the ticket was dropped"

I tell you, that was one of the best feelings in my life, ever. Can't really get much better than this.