I wasn't speeding!!

[driverinmd]

I was recently cited for going 47 in a 30 mph zone in Prince George's county, Maryland. I am quite sure that I was obeying the speed limit and I was tagged with another driver's speed. Radar was used to measure the speed of vehicles on a fairly busy road. The traffic citation fails to note the state of the vehicle registration. Officer forgot to fill the state in. Is this enough to get off an a technicality? If not, speed was being measured by one officer and another was writing tickets. Do both officers have to appear in court. I doubt the officer writing the ticket was witness to the radar measurement. Are there any procedures that police must follow to log a speed measurement to a particular vehicle in a multi-officer radar trap?

Any advice or other tips to use in court would be greatly appreciated.

 

[egmathey]

I have been in a similar situation. An Indiana State Police officer said I was doing 52 in a 35 MPH zone. He gave me the ticket and I decided to plead not guilty. I assumed that the ticket would be nullified because I found 4 (yes, four) errors on the ticket.
When I pleaded my case in court, I was amazed to hear the prosecution make a motion to "ammend" and it was granted each time. The judge allowed me a continuance to give me time to prepare for my case since he realized that I was basing my defense upon these errors.
When I appeared in court again, I was totally prepared with sufficient information, pictures, etc. in whch to attempt to prove my innocence.
I pleaded my case and the judge asked the prosecutor if he wanted a continuance in which to return the officer to the court.
The prosecutor declined and I was found "not guilty". However, I sometimes feel that I "won" only a battle of time and attrition.
Literally, they were tired of me.

Sorry I can't help you more, I am not an attorney and would never insult their profession by claiming to have any legal knowledge, but I do know what I have been through.

 

[JETX]

You got a ticket and don't believe you are guilty. With all due respect, that is what the courts are for, to hear your side of the events and to determine which side is more likely correct. If you truly feel that you are not guilty, prevail yourself of your rights and defend yourself.

However, the remainder of your request is too specific. If there is a Manual or Policy "to log a speed measurement to a particular vehicle in a multi-officer radar" it would be specific to your citing county and access to it (if it even exists) would be subject to the discovery process. You can certainly exert your right to discovery also.

 

[driverinmd]

I certainly do intend on contesting this in court. I wouldn't be here asking all these questions if I didn't. I would just shut up and pay the fine. BTW, No disrespecting intended. Thinking about this just annoys me a bit.

Pardon my lack of knowledge on all the legal lingo. Can you expand a little on the process of "discovery"? I spent a fair amount of time online yesterday searching the MD state General Assembly statutes and I can find very little information traffic citations or anything related. Probably because I'm looking in the wrong place.