alright so i got a second speeding ticket (78 on the freeway) within 2 months. i cant afford to have anything on my driving record. So my question is how many times cops actually showed up to court when you fought your ticket... if you did. Do You guys think i could win that kind of ticket?

 

Technically, if they write you a ticket and it ends up in traffic court, they have to show up. This may be different where you are, but my friend gets pretty ticked off when he has to go in 6 hours early for his shift to get to traffic court.

 

in ny most times they dont

 

Hmmm...depends. If Krispy Kreme's having a day old donut liquidation sale, don't count on it.

Seriously though, you could try to pay double the ticket and have it put on your record as a non-moving violation. Some courts do this, but I think it's a once a year type deal.

 

its a gamble really, fifty/fifty chance

 

In TN if you fight it most of the cops show up. I have a friend thats a cop and he told me he had to show up but I'm not really sure.

 

i was told they don't usually show up if you get a continuence and schedule it for a later date.

also, one trick i learned is that if they used a radar/laser gun to get your speed, they have to completely identify which one they used because it has to be verified that the equipment they used was in working order and properly calibrated. if the cop doesn't say that, point it out to the judge and it will get thrown out.

 

They show up..they get paid to show up....they write tickets and pace and date them to include a day when THEY ARE GOING TO SHOW UP. Now..I'll give you an inside tip that I've heard....it may be totally erroneous but it sounds plausible.....I only pass this along to fellow Scion folk and it may be total BS.

I heard one should call the local department that cited you over the course of a couple days and ask for the officer who wrote your ticket.....If they say "just a minute....he's in briefing" or, "he's in the field but we'll get him a note"....hang up. If they say "Sorry he's off today and will be back Wednesday", you might want to go down to the court and ask for a continuance and say you're generally only available on the "day of the week you know he's off duty".

If I was an officer who wrote a lot of tickets (pretty much ones job)....I doubt I'd make an effort to appear for some random person who continued their case to a day I was not working or scheduled to defend my tickets. That would be me...but I can't comment on other folk who might take speeding really seriously.

 

that is the greatest plan i ever heard, i tip my hat to you sir.

 

in NY most times they do
or else they suffer severe question from their superiors.

 

This just gives them overtime pay. Like I said before, they technically have to show up if it goes to court. They are the one responsible for the ticket and seeing that it is dealt with.

 

a friend of mine that i used to work with said what i should try to do is wait till the due date is approching (2 months.) then ask for an extension (another 2 months). then go to court and plead not guilty (another 2 months) and by then six months would have passed and the cop wont even remember who you are. and unless you were really an jerk he/she wont bother showing up.
my brother also did something similar to this and the judge dismissed it cause the cop retired!

 

idk man, cops dont forget things. they are trained to remember everything. but good luck.

 

How about you just man up and do what is right? I'm not trying to take it out on you, but it's been one of those days. The cop has to show up in most places. It will be noted that you requested an extension, and then it will be noted that you requested a 2nd one. They know all the tricks people try to use to weasel out of getting caught doing something they shouldn't be doing in the first place. I'm not saying I never speed, I'm saying I didn't get caught.

You got the ticket(sure 78 on a freeway isn't something I'd be pulling people over for), but go and explain that you were keeping up with traffic or something. I forgot where it says you live so I don't know if that'd be valid or not.

 

no extensions in MA, you can't make it that date that was set you're are screwed. a cop has to show up in court but not the cop that gave you the ticket. they jus take a court appointed cop on ticket duty that day and believe his point of view/judgement. cuz everyone should know the same law, what is the difference if that one wasn't the one. if the cop that gave you a ticket didn't mark up your ticket, if you appeal it then you got a chance.. you mouth off, he will mark it up with letters so the judge won't let you go. be honest and you could get dismissed or half of the price taken off w/o points added/deducted.

one time i made an appeal and i got a court date a yr and a half later.. i missed the date and i had to pay the ticket. why do i have to wait so long for one? how are people suppose to remember how fast they were going after a year and half?

 

Cops get paid overtime for showing up to court. At least in CA they do. Most times, their captains and supervisors do yell at them if they are supposed to go to court but don't make it.

Show up to court prepared to fight your ticket. Remember, technicalities still get you off the hook.

In CA, you can do "trial by declaration" which is essentially trial by mail.

 

They are sworn witnesses of the state. If you fight your case they are the expert witness. It is the sworn duty to uphold and defend the laws of their state. If you fight the case and do not show up the case will be either rescheduled or thrown out no matter what! I only know because I have many, many lawyers and judges in the family. I show up and plead my case every time and every time the cop that wrote the ticket has been their!