Why does a judge ask the police officer for the paperwork for the radar gun used when he caught me speeding?

Question

I once went to court for a moving violation of cutting thru the left side of a rotary circle, anyways when I went to court for the ticket, I saw all different kinds of cases, like running stop signs, or speeding, etc. I am wondering, how come everytime it was a speeding case, the judge asked the police officer for the doucments of the radar gun that showed that he was speeding. It looked like the police officer had to actually prove that the guy was speeding, by showing concrete evidence.


Anywayz, I thought that police officers word was enough in court. I heard that he does not have to prove it in that manner?
Does anybody have any ideas? im in marland by the way

Answer 1

He is showing the calibration certification paperwork, not a printout from the radar.

Answer 2

nicely, you does not want the police sitting in deepest driveways in case you have been the single caught mutually as they have been sitting there, could you? i do no longer comprehend of any motor vehicle code area that asserts i will no longer be able to sit down down on deepest property to paintings radar. no longer asserting it does not exist, yet i've got effective never heard of it. rather we are able to park everywhere we've permission to be. Easements do exist and tend for use. some companies might have policies prohibiting their officers from sitting on deepest property to paintings radar. any such coverage could have no bring about court docket, although. The PATRIOT Act has no longer something to do with site visitors enforcement. it quite is merely PATRIOsteria kicking in (unnatural and uneducated worry of the PATRIOT act). (sure, it is an acronym and likely, it is capitalized hence).

Answer 3

In order for a radar unit to be legal, it needs calibrated on a certain basis. May be weekly, monthly etc. The paperwork must be shown to prove this was done.

Answer 4

Your bring a valid point many are unaware of. Radar must be calibrated and the officer is showing proof of calibaration; which brings up another point for your readers. IF you get a speeding ticket and the officer testifies be bumper paced you in his patrol car, ask for the patrol cars calibration certificate to show their speedometer is also calbrated, if not, ask for a dismissal after cross examining the officer (ask him questions as it is your right); ask:

Officer, how did you determine , in your opinion, the speed of my vehicle?

He answers to the effect : " I followed you or "bumper paced you" and saw my speedometer indicated 48 miles per hour and you were driving in a posted 25 mhp zone".

Officer, how far did you pace my vehicle?

Officer, is it important when gauging such speed that it be accurate based on your vehicles equipment?

Response should be a "yes" or they are a nut...

Officer, does your patrol vehicle have a Calibrated speedometer?

They should responde yes, if so, ask for the Calibration certificate on the spot, DO NOT let them slide and demand it or ask for dismissal based on lack of sufficient evidence.

If the officer answers No, it is not calibrated, ask for dismissal based on vehicle code violation as it must be calibrated to enforce speed law; (determine what code section it is, print it out and have it ready in court).

Answer 5

Yeah, cops need proof. Like if a cop pulls you over for speeding, you can ask to see the radar gun, and if they dont have it, they cant write you up a ticket.

Answer 6

the need for the paperwork changes from judge to judge. some want it, some trust the cops. most that don't are tree hugging liberals trying to let crimnals go for any reason. first it is speeding tickets, next it will child molesters.

Answer 7

I would ask for the proof, too. There are too many borderline cases where police nail someone totally based on sight, and they are wrong.