Traffic Ticket...roll the dice or no?

[STD]

Looking for an educated gamble here based on your input

Got a ticket going thru a red light in Denver. When getting the ticket, I was seatbelted, didn't argue, had my papers ready when he came to the window, and apologized. There's no evidence except for he claims he saw me 'enter the intersection while the light was red'.

Regardless of whether the cop was right or not, he'll win in court.

BUT, what are the chances of the cop not showing up in court? Seeing that I didnt argue with him, are my chances BETTER that he may not show because of my cooperation?

I can pay $120 within the 20 day period, or roll the dice and hope he doesn't show and pay $0....if he does show I can try to fight it but it'd be $150 if he wins.

Please advise I haven't gotten a ticket in a while.

[MacDaddy]

I'm thinking the court date is set, based on your ticketing officers scheduled court day. unless you can control the day or change it, that cop is gonna show.

[PaSucks]

It depends, is the possibility of paying nothing worth the potential to pay an extra 30 bucks? Also, even though you probably won't win the case, if he shows up and you tell the judge you really have no fight and were just hoping the cop wouldnt show, and you are very apologetic, I have heard that they will often knock off some of the fine/points.

Another thing I have heard, although never seen proof, is a way to supposedly get out of points every time. Apparently, when you mail in your check for the fine, if you pay a few dollars extra, by law they have to mail you a refund for the amount you overpaid. From what i hear if you dont ever cash the refund check you will never be assesed the points. This sounds like bullshit to me, has anyone else heard of this?

[1080Rider]

I doubt he'd even remember you so I wouldn't bet that he won't show up just because you were respectful. Now, on the other hand, I assume Denver has a big police force and its a good chance he has something else to do that day. It is a gamble. Could you argue to the judge that you entered on the yellow? It might backfire 'cause we actually have a statute that you're not supposed to enter on a yellow even. If I were you I'd call the prosecutor's office and see if they'd be willing to amend it to a nonmoving violation. If you have a clean record they'd prolly be willing to amend it down.

[jibij]

if your record's been clean for X number of years (can't remember how many), they'll automatically offer you a plea bargain of a non-driving violation (unsafe vehicle or some such thing). You'll pay about $80 and no points.

edit: this all happens via the mail a week or two after you get your ticket. you never even go to court.

[schuss]

Originally posted by PaSucks
It depends, is the possibility of paying nothing worth the potential to pay an extra 30 bucks? Also, even though you probably won't win the case, if he shows up and you tell the judge you really have no fight and were just hoping the cop wouldnt show, and you are very apologetic, I have heard that they will often knock off some of the fine/points.

Another thing I have heard, although never seen proof, is a way to supposedly get out of points every time. Apparently, when you mail in your check for the fine, if you pay a few dollars extra, by law they have to mail you a refund for the amount you overpaid. From what i hear if you dont ever cash the refund check you will never be assesed the points. This sounds like bullshit to me, has anyone else heard of this?

complete BS. If you overpay, the state will just keep it and say "tough luck moron"

[hev]

yeah the DA should offer you a plea if you show up in court for something like this.

btw. cops don't have to show up for the arraignment which is where you will likely be settling this.

Originally posted by PaSucks
[B]
Another thing I have heard, although never seen proof, is a way to supposedly get out of points every time. Apparently, when you mail in your check for the fine, if you pay a few dollars extra, by law they have to mail you a refund for the amount you overpaid. From what i hear if you dont ever cash the refund check you will never be assesed the points. This sounds like bullshit to me, has anyone else heard of this?[B]

i have definately heard of this but don't know if it is true either.

[nopainnojane]

Originally posted by jibij
if your record's been clean for X number of years (can't remember how many), they'll automatically offer you a plea bargain of a non-driving violation (unsafe vehicle or some such thing). You'll pay about $80 and no points.

edit: this all happens via the mail a week or two after you get your ticket. you never even go to court.

That is what happened to me in Englewood. I had to call after a certain date, and the simply said send a check for the fine, and we will give you broken tail light violation and 1 point, instead of the larger running the red light violation. Same thing with my Wife for her stop sign violation in Lakewood. It is going to depend on you driving record for something that simple to work. I do think that no matter what they do, they will try and at least collect the fine.

[el_jefe]

i went to court in WA to contest a non-moving violation and was able to get the fine reduced at the judge's discretion. he said he couldn't waive the fine altogether even though i appeared to be innocent, but could reduce it based on my record. no officer was required to appear in this case...

[AntiSoCalSkier]

I got a speeding ticket in the mountains lear Los Angeles (Big Bear), and when I went in to pay it, they gave me a 50% "discount." It turns out that they jack up the fines to make money off the "rich" tourists, but by giving a discount when you pay in person the higher fines don't affect the locals. This probably wouldn't work for your ticket, but it might be helpful to anyone who gets a speeding ticket in a resort area.

[Snow Dog]

Originally posted by hev
yeah the DA should offer you a plea if you show up in court for something like this.

btw. cops don't have to show up for the arraignment which is where you will likely be settling this.



i have definately heard of this but don't know if it is true either.

I'm pretty sure the DA could care less -- it's traffic court, not a trial. You, a bored judge, a bored cop, and a bunch of other losers in a little room. The schedule is set up for the cop's convenience so he or she will spend the day in court. If you're nice and appologetic and tell a good story then the judge may reduce the fine. I don't know why you pay extra for disputing the ticket. You pay a booking fee but get it back if you show up. If the cop is a no show then you win. Or, as others have said, they may just offer a reduced fine up front because cop time is expensive.

If you have then time then dispute the ticket.

[Pinner]

The city attorney's office will likely offer you a plea of a lesser offense.

So instead of a 5pt ticket and a $300 fine (for example) they'll offer you something like "driving too fast for conditions" a 3pt ticket and a $100 fine.

Yours is even less severe, so they might even offer you a no-point "busted headlight" or something with a $35 fine.

You get the idea. Definitely worth showing up in court.

[1080Rider]

Just want to be clear on this. If you go to court and say I did it but I'm sorry you will be found committed. The only chance you have to get a non moving violation is to have the prosecutor amend it. The judge can't and won't. I'd call the pros. and try to negotiate it down. It looks like the city already has something like this from prior posts.

[Skidawg]

I'm not familiar with CO law specifics, but here's my take on it. Do whatever it takes to keep it off your driving record. Just one ticket on your record could mean thousands of dollars in insurance premiums.

In my state, if you get a ticket and you've been clean, you may just plead guilty on it and if you stay clean for X amont of months, it stays off your record. I had a ticket issued to me in which I was in no way guilty. I basically had to plead guilty to keep the damn thing off my record. If I would have fought it and lost, it may have cost me $5k - $6k. No way worth it.

Again, I don't know CO specifics, but your chances of winning don't sound good, and there's much more at stake here that just the fine.

[Lone Star]

Have you considered forking over a few bucks to a traffic attorney? I'm not sure about the Denver area, but in some cities these guys do a pretty damn good job of getting most moving violations dismissed.

http://lawyers.findlaw.com/lawyer/la...ractice=FL1411

[random]

I was subpoenaed to traffic court in the summer as a witness (no, really, what the fuck?). All I got out of my morning sitting there is EVERYONE who went in going their fine reduced. Unless you’re stupid and this is your fifth offence of driving with out insurance. But that's here.

[dbldmnd]

From our experience in CO, well at least Boulder, a green light and a yellow light are the same. It's totally legal to enter an intersection when it is yellow according to the police officers I talked to. My wife was in the intersection turning left and when the light turned red, proceeded to clear the intersection and got hit by a US West van which basically ran the red light. She walked away, but the car was totalled. He claimed the light was yellow when he entered the intersection. No one received tickets.

[Sublime]

Write a letter of explanation. Got me out of a $105 ticket. I blew through a yellow left light because I was late for school. I wrote how wrong I was. How I mistimed the light and thought I had more time. How it had rained earlier that morning and how slick it was.

They let me off with impeding traffic a 125 fine but no points.

I bet they did it because they didn't want to deal with me.

All dig up the letter if you would like to see how it was written as long as you don't make fun of my grammar.

[Crinkle]

I didnt read what everyone posted up, but from what i know cops are paid to go to court. They usually just dont show up. Unless you know them.

[Blurred Elevens]

Originally posted by PaSucks


Another thing I have heard, although never seen proof, is a way to supposedly get out of points every time. Apparently, when you mail in your check for the fine, if you pay a few dollars extra, by law they have to mail you a refund for the amount you overpaid. From what i hear if you dont ever cash the refund check you will never be assesed the points. This sounds like bullshit to me, has anyone else heard of this?

We talked about this in depth on the Powder board a few years ago. I got a speeding ticket. I sent in a few extra dollars. No refund check. Got my DVR the other day, the ticket is there with the points.

It's an urban myth. They'll just keep your extra money.

[Stikki]

The overpaid ticket is an urban myth. Basically your fine opens an account like any other bill, say for $100. If you send in $105 they credit your fine, process it as paid in full with a remaining balance of $5. Some places will cut you a check, others will let it sit until determined unclaimed and be transfered to anothe account for donations. As long as you pay at least the full amount and your check clears your ticket is settled.

[maddog]

Last ticket I got, I went to court to fight it and there were about ten other people there
too. Not a single cop showed up and every single ticket was dismissed. The only people
who were fined were the people who didn't show. They all got warrrants for their arrest.
I've heard that motorcycle cops are more likely to show, because all they do is write tickets,
but I don't know if thats true or not. I'd sure as hell rather be riding my motorcycle around
(even if I was giving out tickets) than sitting around a courtroom with a bunch of loosers.