Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 21:04:28 -0500
From: "Robert T. Chafin" <rtchafin_at_mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: Speeding Tickets

Two strategies that have worked for me (*many* times):

1. If you're a Michigan resident and get an out-of-state ticket, "Post Bond" instead of paying the ticket. Bond is typically same as the fine, plus $3 or $4 bond fee - Ohio will even take your Visa card in the patrol car! But you have to ask for the "Post Bond" option. Most states will accomodate you on this. If you do this, the offense never appears on your Michigan record, on the basis of presumed innocence, and the fact that defending yourself in another state is unreasonably difficult. If you pay the ticket, however, you are admitting guilt, and the offense will appear on your Michigan record. You don't save on the ticket this way, but your Insurance company never finds out, and that can be worth many hundreds of dollars per year, for three years from the date of the ticket.
2. Hire a local lawyer, by calling around and finding the largest local law firm, someone who is on a first name basis with the traffic court judge. This guy, once you explain your problem, which is avoiding any (more?) points on your record, will get the ticket reduced to something equivalent to spitting on the sidewalk. You'll still pay the ticket, plus the lawyer's fee, maybe $100 - $150 (for 10 minutes' work, but worth every cent), but you'll keep a clean record. Then on that fateful day when you do have to go to court, you can say, "But yer honor, I've never even had a ticket!" and he'll cut you a break (assuming you're in for a traffic offense and not something involving farm animals and Wesson oil).
3. There are other very effective strategies, but I haven't yet figured out how to keep this post from showing my name, so I'll just keep them to myself for the time being...

Later,
Robert