what are the pros/cons of fighting a ticket?

Question

I got a ticket for doing a rolling stop. how much do these tickets run for and how much does the insurance usually go up by on a clean record?

the officer marked some wrong info on the ticket. e.g. registered owner or lessee marked "same as driver" which is false. can i argue in court and say that the officer is incompetent? if i lose, how big are the court fees in california if any?

I got a ticket for doing a rolling stop. how much do these tickets run for and how much does the insurance usually go up by a lot on a clean record? (i cant do traffic school cuz it hasnt been 18 months since my last ticket)

the officer marked some wrong info on the ticket. e.g. registered owner or lessee marked "same as driver" which is false. can i argue in court and say that the officer is incompetent?

if i lose, how big are the court fees in california if any?

Answer 1

Here's an interesting spin...

Were you guilty? By law, if the tires of your vehicle did not stop moving prior to the stop line (if none in the intersection, than an imaginary line running across the lane of traffic from the foot of the stop sign), then you disobeyed the stop sign. The form of the ticket (mistake on ownership of the vehicle) will not really matter much.

If you honestly feel you are innocent, fight it. If not, pay the fine.

Guilt or innocence doesn't rest with the penalty, it rests with the truth.

Answer 2

there are many pro's and con's. first, my advice is fight it. i have been pulled over over 15 times, three totaled vehicles and my DMV is nearly spotless. anyone who says it's a waste of time, does not know the system or what they are doing.

the first thing you need to do, is change your court appearance date. by the time it catches up to the officer who wrote the ticket, it will be too late. the paperwork takes forever. i have done this 5 times, when it was disputed in court, the officer was never there. use any reason you want, my default reason is "I'm going to be in Africa". second, you need to bring evidence for the judge to examine ( e.g. pictures, a witness, a video, a sketch of the scene, etc.) so he can look at what the ticket is issued for AND be able to see what "reasonable doubt" there might be as to why you think you are innocent. third, talk to the judge as if you are looking for what is "fair and just", not looking for special treatment or to get out of something you did and just happen to get caught.

i would present a "rolling stop" defense like this:
take video of other cars doing the same thing, at the same intersection. takes still pics of them stopping beyond the stop line. present it as a "clear problem" and need for concern. then, say "the officer i am sure has his hands full of writing tickets for SO MANY, i am just the victim of an slight error" you did stop, then rolled forward to see down the street before you proceeded into traffic. (i would quote vehicle code here. you'll have to look it up, but i know for a stop light, when the light turns green, it does not mean "go". it says "proceed with caution if the way/intersection is clear." i am sure for a stop sign it is similar) then you need to show how common your car is, your clean record, your niece/nephew and how small they are and you would NEVER run a stop sign in a residential area because you yourself have vested interest in the residents that live there...blah blah blah. you will sometimes be offered a reduction in bail amount for the ticket, take it! sometimes the judge will dismiss it altogether if you pay the court fees, take it!

trust me, it seems like a lot of work, but i am living proof that it works. i have done my share in traffic school, too. 8 times. if they give you that option, pay the ticket and/or court fees, and it disappears from DMV record (not the H5 report, but that's only going to be an issue if you become a commercial driver) and it will not effect your insurance.

good luck... it's easy, it just takes effort and a strong backbone. you have your day in court, if you want it. most people are scared and/or don't know what to do or say. this has worked for me... many many times.

Answer 3

Pro: winning and not paying any fines.
Con: losing and paying a fine.

I don't think trying to argue that the officer is incompetent because the wrong box was checked. If you bring it up it'll get clarified and you'll probably still lose.

Just pay the fine and save yourself some embarrassment.

Answer 4

go the postponement route you pay the fine now ( $330) and drag it out as long as possible.(about 6months)their a good chance the cops courts dates are mixed up. making him a no show you win by default get your money back then go have some fun (many police agency pay for court times) They cant go to court everyday. .take a chance/// this ticket in San Francisco was $100 in 1989 its$330 now another $ 55 for some chicken Internet court class these $100 dollar fines must be from baby court their long gone.i have been unlucky now im a regular in San francisco,san mateo and los angeles trafic courts and never paid court fees( los angeles $731 for speeding this system worked

Answer 5

In CA, if you fight you ticket, you will get a court date. As soon as you tell the Clerk that you want to contest the ticket, court costs are assessed, to be collected from you if you lose.
Here is a good overview of how LA County would treat you.
http://www.lasuperiorcourt.org/criminal/criminal.htm

Court Costs are: varied. I think you're asking about the fines in CA, and those are dependent by statute upon the name of the crime charged.

Good Luck to you!

Answer 6

the chances you get that done are slim to nill pal... the ticket may cost you from 115-150. trust me if the officer has been doing this for a while you ain't gonna get out of it. Chances on it making ur insurance going up, not going to happen, it is a moving violation but you were not speeding

Answer 7

You can try to fight it, but you will probably lose. The incorrect info on the citation won't invalidate it, it's not information that is really critical as it pertains to the offense. Your insurance might go up a little, and the fine is around $100.00.

That bozo posting as "G" is an idiot. I know the type, he runs his piehole on an anonymous internet site, then pisses his polyester pants when he gets pulled over. I've never heard more "yessirs" in my whole career than I do when I pull his type over. Always being chosen last at recess does things to people, you know.

Answer 8

Pro: Chances are that by merely showing up in court, your ticket will be dropped.

Cons: You'll be issued a warrant for your arrest, and next time a cop stops you, can be taken in..

Not worth fighting it

Answer 9

Pros: You Win
Cons: You lose and pay court cost on top of the fine.

Answer 10

If the officer does not show to court you can request that the ticket be voided because of your 6th amendment right to face your accuser.