Originally Posted by oledoc2u
Wow, I don't think that would work here in IN...I make notes on the back of my copy of the citation...even if it is two yrs later, the notes are still there, plus today, we use computers, save notes to file...we only have to show up if it goes to trial, not the initial hearing...every state seems different, but training for radar, lazer, etc is pretty much the same...delaying a hearing can have pros and cons, here, a judge will not let it go that far out unless there is a really good reason, such as health, but you had better be able to prove it...good luck...either way...
PS...attending traffic school in this state gets you credit for points, but doesn't get you out of the citation...and you can't get another one or else...
I have heard of similar reports by other LEOs RE: citation notes... some departments even have stamps with templates for these notes to capture all of the most important stuff.
Originally Posted by mousegu
Option One- Fight and Probably Not Pay
I've had three tickets, two speeding and one lane change with no blinker (i was the only car on the freeway at 3AM, except for the cop who was sitting on the side of the freeway in stealth-mode).
I fought all three tickets, and not one time did the cop show for the trail. What I did was delay the ticket as long as I could. You have 90 days to take action on the ticket, when those 90 days are almost up, go online and request a extension, that will give you another 60 days. When that 60 days is almost up, request a court date. That will usually be 30 or more days later, and it will only be your arraignment (say not guilty). Then they will give you another court date, which is no later than 45 days from the first court date.
By the time you do all this, it's been at least 6 months since you got the ticket,and the cops usually don't come, but if they do they can declare no recollection, meaning they don't remember giving you the ticket and you're home free.
But seriously, every time I've gone to court there has been 100+ people in the court room for trial and maybe 5 cops show up. It's a joke..
Option Two - 8 Hour Traffic School
If you have gone to traffic school in the last 18 month, you're not eligible to go again for another ticket. HOWEVER, you can go to a special 8-hour traffic school where you have to go to a classroom (no online option). This will erase the ticket from your driving record, but insurance companies will still be notified of the ticket. Some insurance companies honor the 8-hour traffic school and won't increase your rates, and some do not. Call your insurance company and ask to find out.
Thanks for the advice. This particular situation is complicated by the fact that the speeder lives ~400 miles from the county that they were cited in, so the personal court appearances would be difficult to pull off. I definitely want to keep this in mind for future reference, though. Just curious, have you combined this method with a trial by declaration before, or are they mutually exclusive strategies (I can't recall if you're allowed an extension if you're doing a trial by declaration)
And the insight on Option Two is very helpful in this case. I had heard about the 8 hour traffic school, but didn't realize that the insurance companies would still hear about the ticket. I'll have my friend look into this as a possibility. Hopefully, the 8-hour traffic schools are available outside of the county where they got cited, and hopefully the insurance will honor it. My friend is not that eager to put much work into this; otherwise I'd push harder for a trial by declaration, at the least. You can only help a person so much before they have to help themselves.
Originally Posted by svo
ON YOUR EVENTUAL COURT DATE YOU STILL HAVE THE OPTION OF GOING TO TRAFFIC SCHOOL BEFORE THE OFFICER TELLS HIS SIDE.
Are you located in CA? Just curious what locales this applies to. Thanks.