Quote:
Originally Posted by retoocs
It should say how he determined your speed on the ticket.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tyrantcf
The officer doesn't have to show you the radar reading, at least not in California.
If it were me, and I was indeed speeding, id probably go to court and plead no contest and ask for a reduction in fine and be done with it.
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Yes, the ticket should indicate whether it was an "visually estimated speed" or it was determined by radar/lidar etc. If the radar box wasn't checked, then he cannot use any proof of radar at the trial.
Assuming you have time to go to court on a weekday, your best bet is:
1) request trial
2) postpone trial a few times
3) on date of hearing, hope the officer doesn't show. no show=you win
4) if the officer does show, decide whether you want to fight or plead no contest.
5) if you plead no contest, ask for traffic school and fine reduction (give a good and legit excuse)
6) if you fight and lose, still ask for traffic school and fine reduction.
others say trial by written declaration is the better way to go, but I have never done that. I believe there are websites where you can pay some small fee and they give you the proper language and case law to copy and paste into your declaration and it "guarantees" you will win. I have done it the way described above and won at step 3. I also hung around at traffic court and watched people go through steps 4-6. At least at the court I was at, the judge seemed pretty compassionate and willing to grant traffic school and fine reductions even though the person was found guilty and was not entitled to them. Your mileage may vary, you could end up with a grumpy judge who throws you in jail for wasting their time LOL.