WA state: 82 in a 70mph zone

[Koensayr]

What is the name of your state? WASHINGTON

I was on my way from Bellingham to Seattle travelling in the left lane at, what my spedometer said, was around 77-78mph. A pickup truck was passing me on the right when an officer in an unmarked car behind me turned on the lights. The pickup truck beside me immediately dropped down to the speed limit and I had to slow down to about 60mph to switch lanes. When I made it to the right shoulder I accidentally handed the officer an insurance card for the wrong vehicle. When he came back he returned my insurance card and I provided the accurate one, he did not notice that the one I originally provided was for a Dodge Ram and not the Acura Integra I was driving. I recieved a ticket for $122 and where I was supposed to sign he wrote "Copy given to above person." I do not know which department the officer was with, be it state patrol or a county sheriff. On the top of the ticket the "Court ORI #" was left blank. My violation, as I can read it, is "RCW 1/6.6/400" with the comment "Speed over legal (P 9116).

This occurred on 6/15/06 at 5:16pm at I-5 Southbound near mile marker 217. I used my deferment last year and still have a month to go before my last ticket is removed from my record. Aside from that I have a clean driving record. If it helps at all I'm a full time student living off financial aid.

Thanks for any help,
-BrandonWhat is the name of your state?

[seniorjudge]

Originally Posted by Koensayr

What is the name of your state? WASHINGTON

I was on my way from Bellingham to Seattle travelling in the left lane at, what my spedometer said, was around 77-78mph. A pickup truck was passing me on the right when an officer in an unmarked car behind me turned on the lights. The pickup truck beside me immediately dropped down to the speed limit and I had to slow down to about 60mph to switch lanes. When I made it to the right shoulder I accidentally handed the officer an insurance card for the wrong vehicle. When he came back he returned my insurance card and I provided the accurate one, he did not notice that the one I originally provided was for a Dodge Ram and not the Acura Integra I was driving. I recieved a ticket for $122 and where I was supposed to sign he wrote "Copy given to above person." I do not know which department the officer was with, be it state patrol or a county sheriff. On the top of the ticket the "Court ORI #" was left blank. My violation, as I can read it, is "RCW 1/6.6/400" with the comment "Speed over legal (P 9116).

This occurred on 6/15/06 at 5:16pm at I-5 Southbound near mile marker 217. I used my deferment last year and still have a month to go before my last ticket is removed from my record. Aside from that I have a clean driving record. If it helps at all I'm a full time student living off financial aid.

Thanks for any help,
-BrandonWhat is the name of your state?

Standard answer

Here are some hints on appearing in court:

Dress professionally in clean clothes.

Do not wear message shirts.

Don't chew gum, smoke, or eat. (Smokers...pot or tobacco...literally stink. Remember that before you head for court.)

Bathe and wash your hair.

Do not bring small children or your friends.

Go to court beforehand some day before you actually have to go to watch how things go.

Speak politely and deferentially. If you argue or dispute something, do it professionally and without emotion.

Ask the court clerk who you talk to about a diversion (meaning you want to plead to a different, lesser charge), if applicable in your situation. Ask about traffic school and that the ticket not go on your record, if applicable. Ask also about getting a hardship driving permit, if applicable. Ask about drug court, if applicable.

From marbol:

“Judge...

You forgot the one thing that I've seen that seems to frizz up most judges these days:

If you have a cell phone, make DAMN SURE that it doesn't make ANY noise in the courtroom. This means when you are talking to the judge AND when you are simply sitting in the court room.

If you have a ‘vibrate’ position on your cell phone, MAKE sure the judge DOESN'T EVEN HEAR IT VIBRATE!

Turn it off or put it in silent mode where it flashes a LED if it rings. AND DON'T even DREAM about answering it if it rings.”

(Better yet, don’t carry your cell phone into the courtroom.)”


Here are five stories that criminal court judges hear the most (and I suggest you do not use them or variations of them):

1. I’ve been saved! (This is not religion specific; folks from all kinds of religious backgrounds use this one.)

2. My girlfriend/mother/sister/daughter/wife/ex-wife/niece/grandma/grand-daughter is pregnant/sick/dying/dead/crippled/crazy and needs my help.

3. I’ve got a job/military posting in [name a place five hundred miles away].

4. This is the first time I ever did this. (This conflicts with number 5 below, but that hasn’t stopped some defendants from using both.)

5. You’ve got the wrong guy. (A variation of this one is the phantom defendant story: “It wasn’t me driving, it was a hitchhiker I picked up. He wrecked the car, drug me behind the wheel then took off.” Or, another variation: “I was forced into it by a bad guy!”)

[url]http://forum.freeadvice.com/showthread.php?p=854687#post854687[/url]

Public defender’s advice

[url]http://newyork.craigslist.org/about/best/sfo/70300494.html[/url]


Other people may give you other advice; stand by.