Contesting a Ticket

[bimmer8604]

Well, I obtained a speeding ticket this evening(night time), 62 in a 40. No other cars on the road. Just minding my own business when i see the highway patrol man come up on me. Searched my car and inspected it - saw the 4-pt harnesses and push button starter - and came to the conclusion that my car was a race car and because my tires were low on tread I was street racing. All in all I only got a ticket for 62 in a 40, but I am not in the position to beable to pay it and let my insurance go up.

I want to go to court, and see if I can get it reduced or droped or anything, but I have NO experience with the courts. I need some advice from the experts.

Kyle

[Sean]

Did he use a radar gun?

And, did he ask you how fast you were going? If so, what did you say?

There are a few other guys in here that know shit loads of stuff on this. They'll be in here soon enough.

[bimmer8604]

Did he use a radar gun?

And, did he ask you how fast you were going? If so, what did you say?

There are a few other guys in here that know shit loads of stuff on this. They'll be in here soon enough.

Know he didnt ask me how fast i was going, he just came up to the car and said "i need your license, you were speeding back there doing 62 mph, and im sure i caught you after you hit your brakes"
He was using radar.

Kyle

[e30evolution]

i dont know how old you are.... but in some situations they will drop the ticket and say it never hapened if you pay 100... or soemthing like that.... and dont have an infraction for the next year..... that is how it is in washington

however if you do get a ticket within a year you have to pay full ticket on both infractions and they both go on your record.... you could go to court and get the fine reduce... but it will still be on your record

(that is how it is in washington)

[bimmer8604]

i dont know how old you are.... but in some situations they will drop the ticket and say it never hapened if you pay 100... or soemthing like that.... and dont have an infraction for the next year..... that is how it is in washington

however if you do get a ticket within a year you have to pay full ticket on both infractions and they both go on your record.... you could go to court and get the fine reduce... but it will still be on your record

(that is how it is in washington)

yea, we call it the Diversion Program in kansas, unfortunately, im on diversion with the Sheriff(49 in a 40) but i dont know if i can get in diversion with the HP and Sheriff at the same time...

Kyle

[Jordan]

Re: Contesting a Ticket

I am not in the position to beable to pay it and let my insurance go up.

So why exactly where you speeding then?

You were speeding. You got busted fair and square. You should now pay the ticket, and take the punishments that come with it.

[Jarvis]

Re: Contesting a Ticket

All in all I only got a ticket for 62 in a 40

Been there, done that. 62 in a 40 adds up to: FUCKING EXPENSIVE TO PAY FOR. Depending on the laws where you are, at least try and get it reduced.

[Sean]

Good luck with it man. If he had a radar gun, I wouldn't know what to do.

Best bet is to try to get the fine reduced.

[JRowe]

First determine whether it was the city police or county that gave you the ticket. Then, you need to call the traffic division of either the city attorney or DA and talk to them about your options. Since you're already on diversion, then it probably isnt' available, if memory serves me correctly. Additionally, Wichita/Sedgwick county isn't in the habit of working with people on tickets. Having worked for Sedgwick county as an assistant district attorney, I can tell you that they aren't very lenient. Even when I worked for them, I had my doubts about whether I could get any help on tickets.

Also, unlike many places, if you contest the ticket, a prosecutor will show up and ensure the cop is also there. I'm up here in Johnson county now, and tickets are a much smaller issue and easier to get out of. The bottom line is that there really is no set way to "beat" a ticket. Just call the DA's office or city attorney and talk to the traffic division about diversion. If it's not available and you want to challenge it, then the city will docket your ticket on the traffic court docket. Any decision by the city is appealable to the county district court, but your chances of success are slim to none. Working with the prosecutor prior to any challenge is your best option.

Hopefully, this info helps. Even though I lived in Wichita as a practicding attorney for 2 years, I never dealt with traffic issues, so I'm shooting from the hip and don't have any more detailed or reliable info.

[kansas-ix]

My legal advice to you as a KS resident with a record longer than this thread and I'm in law school, The last time I got a ticket in KS in NOV. it was for 86 in 55 and to get around it what you do, Is first call down and say you can't make the court date they gave you and that you want to show up for that, they'll say you don't need to but say you want to be there. Next go down and talk to the person you amends tickets and make an application to get the ticket amended, they'll say to call back in 10 days and check in to see if it was amended, and here the big secret, Don't Call back, I did that in Nov. and haven't heard anything. since then i got pulled over for a St.Louis roll, and was not asked about the speeding ticket, and the statute of limitations on the ticket is 2yrs. in KS, so I'm going to wait and hope.
Also you can get on diversion with both at the same time if you time it right. The KHP aren't the best at looking into other tickets on your diversion application, I would recc. not telling them about your other ticket, thats thier job to look for it- right? I' ve done a dual diversion in KS, the key is that you beg and plead with whoever you can, go and talk to them but don't ever tell them about the other ticket, tell them how broke you are, if you get hold of the right person it shouldn't be too bad, but $$$ in KS will solve all ticket problems no matter how fast you were going, I had a 104 in a 70 reduced once for $200.00. I have had 2-3 tickets a year since 16 and now 25.
Three tickets in a year though the third will F* you, so yes you can reduce this one eventhough you already did it, so long as like you said county, v. state.
Thats my advice.

[Ryan Stewart]

The KHP aren't the best at looking into other tickets on your diversion application, I would recc. not telling them about your other ticket, thats thier job to look for it- right?

Fo shizzle. They dont even seem to ever keep the records either.

[bahnfire]

If the fine for the ticket is gonna be crazy, you can do a plea bargan for a reduction. I recently got a 52 in a 35 and itwas a $150 fine but i pleaded no contest and the prosecutor recomended a fine reduction. It was reduced to 20 bucks plus court costs which ended up being a total of 50 or 60 bucks. So if you dont come up with anything, you can always do this. Also its a good idea to plead not guilty for all of the tickets you recieve to see if the cop will show up. Also continuences (sp?) are your friend. I had 2 tickets continued last summer until i was back in school. One of the cops didnt show and i got school/work privileges.