insurance /speeding citation gone array

What is the name of your state? Louisiana

I maintain auto insurance on my 18yr. old son's car and the car is in my name. He gets stopped just outside a little hick town pop.400. The officer says that he was tailing a DWI and my son broke his train of thought. He says my son was doing 72 in a 55. However, my son and his gf. agree that he had to cruise set at 60. When he called the plates in he says it came back NO INSURANCE! (bull) My son shows him his proof of Ins. cards which are valid and up to date. The officer says that's not proof. My son says look at the dates, officer says dates dont mean anything. So he takes off the plates and gives him a ticket for speeding and no Insurance. My agent went to see the Mayor of this little town which is also the Judge. My agent shows the Mayor/Judge documents proving we had insurance and got the plates back. I am in florida on vacation and cant do anything. She the agent questions the officer 1st he says the boy didnt give any proof of Ins. then he said that what the boy gave him was exspired, but she had the cards my son showed him as proof. Well next day I called Mayor/Judge (a woman), and asked her if they were going to drop the no insurance charge on my son's ticket. Her answer was "no", because when her deputy called it in it said "no insurance", she said she even called the next morning and they told her that also, however she did not tell the agent that when she was there at noon that day. My agent had the Sheriff of the parish seat to call in my plates (same day) it said nothing about no insurance, but it did say I had a flag on my plates. A deputy from a joining parish called the plates in, it did not say no insurance just a flag. The sheriff said a flag is not grounds for ticketing or taking plates off my car. But the Baskin Police Dept. says it told them "no insurance". Now the Mayor/Judge says we can contest the ticket. Now what good will that do when the mayor is going to be the judge and she still maintains that she called and was told NO Insurance. "Help me please!" They cant get away with this. (or can they?)

[lwpat]

"a little hick town pop.400."

If you could check the town's records you will probably find that traffic tickets are their main source of revenue.

"gets stopped just outside a little hick town pop.400. The officer says that he was tailing a DWI"

There could easily be an issue of proper jurisdiction. It would depend on state law and the actual location you son was clocked.

"insurance just a flag. The sheriff said a flag is not grounds for ticketing or taking plates off my car."

He should know. Sounds like a definite case of abuse of power.

"the Mayor/Judge says we can contest the ticket"

It sounds like you have a good insurance agent. Have him appear in court and testify that you have insurance. She will have no choice but to drop the no insurance charge. Be sure to follow the proper procedures in writing to request a trial.

They cant get away with this. (or can they?)

Unfortunately yes they can. 60 in a 55 is still speeding and your son will be found guilty unless there was a jurisdiction problem and that will probably be ignored. You might can beat it on appeal if that is allowed in your state. An attorney might get approval for traffic school on the speeding charge and convince the mayor to drop the no insurance.

Thank you for your speedy reply. I know it was lengthy so thank you for taking the time to read it. Is there a way to take the matter to the parish seat court. I dont feel that they will be fare in that town with the Mayor also being the Judge. I had spoke to a deputy in the parish seat he said that they were an entity to theirselves, but they are in the same parish. I just feel that it would be a conflict of intrest concerning the Mayor/Judge.

[lwpat]

"Is there a way to take the matter to the parish seat court."

Probably not since your son is an adult. Sometimes a juvenile case is heard in a different court. You would have to appeal the verdict to the higher court. Again you need to ask these questions to an attorney that knows how things work in your area.

"I just feel that it would be a conflict of intrest concerning the Mayor/Judge."

Sure but that is the way things work. Go to this page and follow the links to New Rome and Summersville.

[url]http://www.speedingticketcentral.com/ticket-alert.html[/url]



NOTICE- The author of this post is not an attorney. The
information presented here is the result of the authors
research and thirty years experience in the legal codes,
cases and practices of the States of North and South Carolina,
and the county in which author resides and is for general
information only. Be advised the legal codes, cases, and
practices of any other state or county could vary greatly.
If you need legal advice contact an attorney.

Thank you IWPAT for the Link.
And concerning Baskin Police Dept. in Louisiana. No one ever told me that Dukes of Hazzard was a true story.
It would be a shame for someone to paint Hazzard County on their little City Limit Sign. (ha ha) just kidding!

It could be worse halonall. Try being a longhaired hippy dude and attending Northeast Louisiana University in Monroe (pronounced FUN-roe) in the early 70s and having to deal with all the 'good ole boys and girls'

Well Hex I think that you understand me better than most, you have to live here to know right. Around here apprently they write the law as they go. I can also remember when it was fun-roe lol. The campus is now ULM (University of La. at Monroe). I will be attending the Community College that is going to be located there. They are reconstructing the old cafateria building for us. (Just a little FYI for ya)

I lived in room 303 in the dorm right across the road from the cafeteria. GAWD what a time in my life. Sorry you have to live there. But as for your situation, seems to me you're pretty well stuck.

The advice you got was on target. Just a sad fact of living in television reruns

Well the daisy dukes probably wont work in this case, seeing that the Mayor/Judge is a woman, well....hummm, nope probably wont work. I am going to call my lawyer today and try to get some answers or suggestions. Thanks for the advice I had hoped it would have been better, but like you said its reruns but I cant remember how the episode ended. Hopefully with "Hogg" looking like a fool but probably covering his a$$ to smell like a rose.

[justin2003]

I hate it when tickets go "ARRAY"!!!

Hip Hop Array

You have a nice array of (insert plural noun here).

Sorry I just couldn't resist