Originally posted by: glutenberg
It's just going to end up being your word versus the police officer's word. You're going to lose unless by chance the officer doesn't show up to the trial date. If he doesn't show up, you automatically win. If he does, chances are you're going to lose but before the trial begins, the judge will usually offer you a chance to pay the fine at a reduced cost and take traffic school.
I went to court for receiving an illegal lane change violation. I was in the middle lane and needed to move over to the right one lane to make a right turn. The officer claimed that I went across from the left lane (the third lane), crossed over two lanes, cut off another driver who had to brake to avoid an accident, and then made my right turn. Of course, me and my passenger had our signal on, the light had just turned green so people were barely moving, I wasn't in the third lane, the guy in the right lane slowed to let me in instead of braking to avoid an accident, and the officer was about three to four cars behind the car he claims he saw braked to avoid the accident. I went to court with all the facts, pictures, documentation, etc. I was allowed to question the officer who didn't remember any of the accounts of that day (not really his fault since the trial was about 1 month later, but it just seemed bogus at the time) and he pretty much just read the ticket off to the commissioner. About 1 second after I gave my testimony, the commissioner found me guilty and made me pay the full fine and take the point. I asked for traffic school and he said no. Got to love the traffic court system.
The Commissioner also had some sort of speech impediment or some kind of issue because he could never speak clearly and would stutter and ramble all over the place. Was not a fun experience but an interesting one.
