Tickets and other Legal BS

[Stephen Williams <mannlaw@indy.net>]

	"The Judge's" comments on tickets are accurate, for the most 
part.  If, however, you go into the Court and ask for an "abstract" of 
your case, chances are the blonde will say "Huh?"  Are you referring to a 
docket sheet?  Another If:  If your case is already closed, ie., you have 
already paid the fine, said something stupid in your own defense [Well, 
yes judge I was going faster than 55, but not 72 like the ticket says], 
or finished off driving school [what a s***a** use of time and space], 
the court will no longer have your file.  May be in the CLerk's office, 
but, the only thing you can be certain of ESPECIALLY in Metro Calif. 
clerk's offices is that the person you will be speaking to (1) doesn't 
want to be there (2) doesn't want to deal with you there, and (3) will 
cop an attitude wider than the ass that followed you in the door.

	It has been stated that "Attending traffic school in lieu of a 
fine...advantage here is getting out of the fine & penalty assessment."  
One word of advice.  If your ticket is for the real deal ie., usually 15+ 
in most states, 20+ in others, reach in your pocket and hire a real 
lawyer NOT someone who will hold your hand while you plead guilty.  
Advantage here is that many times, the prosecutor handling your case 
[more common in rural counties] will allow you to pay the fine, penalty, 
whatever, and dismiss the ticket.  IT IS THE POINTS, NOT THE FINE, THAT 
SHOULD CONCERN YOU.  ALWAYS!!!! Be happy to pay the fine and "penalty 
assessment" [huh, again.  Do you mean court costs?], to get the ticket 
dismissed.  In the long run, it would always be better to pay double or 
triple the fine / penalty IF the ticket is dismissed.  Remember, The BMV 
in most states is nothing more than a confab of incompetency.  It is next 
to impossible for them to get anything right--especially getting a 
traffic record expunged. Once something gets printed on a document sent 
to them, you will see exactly why the copper smiles when he writes tickets.

	Bottom line is this: If you get a ticket and it is of a type that 
will cause you big-time problems w/ your D.L. or insur., find a lawyer 
that can work with the prosecutor.  Usually, this is not the guy who 
advertises for traffic work. Tell him your story and ask if he can talk 
to the prosecutor handling the case about paying the fine or whatever to 
dismiss the ticket.  If they will not dismiss the ticket they will 
sometimes allow you to plead, pay, etc., with the agreement that the 
ticket will be expunged if you don't get another one within a certain 
period of time [varies, 3-6 months is not uncommon].  If you get clocked 
and caught for a big-boy ticket, ie., 120 in a 65, find someone that 
knows how to try these cases, with the aid of a radar expert, and get 
ready.  Usually, the cost of this [with no guarantees of winning] will 
get extreme. Oh, BTW, be nice.  The more you talk, argue, etc., the worse 
it gets!