Right Turn Stop Light "violation"

[FreeSociety]

I got a ticket that was a surprise to me (State: Massachusetts).

I came to a T Intersection, and in Massachusetts it is okay to turn right when the light is Red. Well, in this case there was one car ahead of me, that had stopped at the intersection to wait for the traffic to clear. I was directly behind that car and stopped with him. Once clear, then the car ahead of me turned right, and I followed behind him and turned right with him.

A cop car seemed to come out of nowhere and then appeared directly behind me (driving fast). After following me for awhile, the cop pulled me over and claimed that I "cut him off" (which I don't see how was possible at the time of my turn). But he wrote up a ticket decribed as: "Fail to stop at Red Light" and charged me $100.00. I didn't get much of a chance to talk about the details with him, but I did just mention that I was behind the other car.

Now, I had technically stopped prior to making the right turn. I did not just blow right through it, or "Fail to stop" at any point. But I also did not stop a second time after the the car ahead of me made the right turn.

If I try to appeal this ticket, what is the best way to argue on behalf of my case? Also $100 to me seems to be an excessive fine, especially for the circumstances, but I also don't know what the standard stop light infraction is.

Please advise on how to appeal this ticket, and what approach I can take to reduce the fine.

Thanks

 

[racer72]

Once clear, then the car ahead of me turned right, and I followed behind him and turned right with him.

Did you come to a complete stop after the car turned or just follow the car around the corner?

 

[I_Got_Banned]

what is the best way to argue on behalf of my case?

Don't use this:

But I also did not stop a second time after the the car ahead of me made the right turn.

MGL Chapter 89, Section 8. Right-of-way at intersecting ways; turning on red signals.​

...
At any intersection on ways, as defined in section one of chapter ninety, in which vehicular traffic is facing a steady red indication in a traffic control signal, the driver of a vehicle which is stopped as close as practicable at the entrance to the crosswalk or the near side of the intersections or, if none, then at the entrance to the intersection in obedience to such red or stop signal, may make either (1) a right turn or (2) if on a one-way street may make a left turn to another one-way street, but shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and other traffic proceeding as directed by the signal at said intersection, except that a city or town, subject to section two of chapter eighty-five, by rules, orders, ordinances, or by-laws, and the department of highways on state highways or on ways at their intersections with a state highway, may prohibit any such turns against a red or stop signal at any such intersection, and such prohibition shall be effective when a sign is erected at such intersection giving notice thereof. Any person who violates the provisions of this paragraph shall be punished by a fine of not less than thirty-five dollars.
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You clearly did NOT stop as close as practicable at the entrance to the crosswalk or the near side of the intersections or, if none, then at the entrance to the intersection. And "no", stopping a car length or so behind the line does not make for a legal stop...