Got a ticket need adivice

brondondolon

brondondolon

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A few months ago i got a ticket in CA. I live in NV and was traviling home from CA when i got pulled over. I ended up getting a ticket for my tail lights being tinted. Now when i tinted my tail lights i used a paint that is very transparent. CA is very strict with tail light laws but NV doesnt really care. The law in NV states that a break light must be visible from 300 feet which mine are. Heres the kicker though. When i got the ticket i wasnt even driving. On top of that the CHP wrote the ticket for the wrong violation. Its now a ticket for $658.83 which i think is ridiculous. CA deficit isnt my problem so to charge such an outrageous amount is extortion IMO. So im going to plea not guilty by trial of written declaration. For those who have experience do you think i have grounds to plea not guilty?

Heres some facts as stated above for those who read this quickly. Got ticket for tail lights, i wasnt the one driving although i was in the car, lights are compliant in the state in which i live, cop wrote the wrong violation on the ticket. The violation he wrote down pertains to interior lights altered to impersonate a police officer or something to that effect.

What do you guys think?
 
IF he wrote you the tickets for interior lights then I'd definitely contest it and say he must have meant to write you one for tinted tails. It is your car which is why you would get the ticket(in MD its a fix it style ticket so the owner has to fix it).
 
I know for tinted windows it's whatever the legal limit the state you're in when you get the ticket not where the car is registered. Not sure if tail lights are the same. However I've gotten tickets dismissed for improper written info. I'm just Confused, if the ticket is written as the wrong violation how will the court believe you if you tell them it was for tail lights?


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Get a lawyer or pay the fine. It doesn't matter what's legal in NV, you were in Cali.
 
Shoulda tried a bribe. A fifty spot will get you outta a lot of jambs up my way.
 
Docpeanut said:
I'd say don't pay and stay out of California
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Bad advice, they'll issue a warrant and if he goes back to Cali and gets pulled over it's off to jail.

What is a Failure to Pay Fine or Comply with a Court Order?

If you do not pay your fine or comply with an order of the court (example: failure to obey an order to perform community service) before the date the court gave you, you may be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Avoid additional fees and legal action, which may include a warrant for your arrest, by taking action before your fine or court order is past due. You can obtain an extension to pay your fine or comply with a court order. You can also pay your fine in installments.
 
custmsprty said:
Get a lawyer or pay the fine. It doesn't matter what's legal in NV, you were in Cali.
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So if I am driving my vehicle registered in Florida, which allows for window tint, in California and California does not allow for any window tint, I am able to receive a citation for illegal window tint?
 
Here's my opinion and it's strictly mine. If you weren't violating a traffic law I don't see how he could write you up for an equipment violation unless you had say a burned out light. That would be like ldriving in a state where your car has to have a safety inspection and you drive over the border and the cop writes you a ticket for even though your state doesn't require it. I don't know how California is but here in PA if you have tinted windows and Florida plates they can't bother you for that. Once again JMHO. I would have to do some serious research on this if I were you.
 
Sizzle Chest said:
So if I am driving my vehicle registered in Florida, which allows for window tint, in California and California does not allow for any window tint, I am able to receive a citation for illegal window tint?
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My car(my avatar) is registered in MD and I was driving through VA. I got pulled over for my tint which is 20%(yes illegal in MD too). The cops reading came out as 13% total and advised he could write a ticket, also it is a probable cause stop as well. I asked even if my car is registered in MD, to which he replied if I drove drunk in VA I could get a ticket even if I am from MD. I didn't argue his ignorant point and he let me go with a warning.

To the OP I would fight it. I gout out of a nasty speed ticket 85 in a 45 in Illinois because the officer wrote my DL num wrong and the Judge had to throw it out, granted he reprimanded the officer and was made doing so.
 
Sizzle Chest said:
So if I am driving my vehicle registered in Florida, which allows for window tint, in California and California does not allow for any window tint, I am able to receive a citation for illegal window tint?
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you could, but would be dismissed as your car isn't registered in that state.

Your state's law trumps.
 
To the op, CA is strict on lots of things. It doesn't matter who was driving. It's your car so you are responsible. You might have the option to take traffic school which should lower your fine. If not just pay the fine and be done with it.

Sizzle Chest said:
So if I am driving my vehicle registered in Florida, which allows for window tint, in California and California does not allow for any window tint, I am able to receive a citation for illegal window tint?
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It is possible. That dependson how anal the officer is.

Been down this road a few times here in CA with tinted windows. This is a fix it ticket. So the tint has to be removed and then go to CHP which offers free sign off. Once it is signed off you are done. The last I heard they are not letting people pay the fee and be done with it. Same goes for the front license plate.
 
•You did sign the ticket (summons) didn't you?
Note: A summons is an order to appear and your signature is a "promise to appear."

•You had two options:
-Sign the ticket...and go on your way (until court date or payment of fine)
-Not sign...and go to jail for refusing to "promise to appear".

brondondolon said:
A few months ago i got a ticket in CA.
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:wow:
How long did you have to pay/contest this traffic fine?

brondondolon said:
What do you guys think?
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•I'll assume you're over 18 years of age...

-Read your "Notice to Appear". There you will find the name of the court that will decide your case, the deadline to pay the ticket or go to court, and what you must do to respond to the ticket.

-A bona fide Attorney will be more able to provide the legalities of your issue...than this sh!!t house lawyer ever will, though! :D

Bob
 
The Guz said:
To the op, CA is strict on lots of things. It doesn't matter who was driving. It's your car so you are responsible. You might have the option to take traffic school which should lower your fine. If not just pay the fine and be done with it.



It is possible. That dependson how anal the officer is.

Been down this road a few times here in CA with tinted windows. This is a fix it ticket. So the tint has to be removed and then go to CHP which offers free sign off. Once it is signed off you are done. The last I heard they are not letting people pay the fee and be done with it. Same goes for the front license plate.
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That is weird. Here in MD they can only write fix it tickets(repair orders) to cars that are registered in Maryland. I drive my truck with 5% around and 45% on the windshield to NJ all the time. Yes they can stop you but they can't write you.
 
I'm 27 and I've had a bunch of tickets in the past so I know the ramifications if I don't pay. I'm just curious if I have grounds to plea not guilty. What sucks is the court house is 7 hours away and I just had to go there on the 18th for speeding.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using AG Online
 
Im an intern with a local pd in my area. In my state, they will write you up for tint if they see anything out of the ordinary. The main problem imo is that you could argue that the officer got the ticket wrong and was not paying attention as he or she will probably be trying to back that ticket now so it sticks in court. I am no lawyer, but imo I would argue on the basis that the officer was not paying attention and got the charge totally wrong
 
Its illegal to mod anything on your car that has to do with safety in an state. car companies have to get all exterior lights approved through the DOT. You can get a ticket in any state for changing them in anyway. I would get a lawyer and let him deal with it. I have my friend who has been a cop for 20 years sitting wright her and you can get warrant if you do not deal with this and you really don't want that. "Did you guys read his post has nothing todo with window tint his tail lights are tinted 2 totally different things".
 
I unfortunately live in CA, and I recommend you don't get a ticket for anything since they will make you pay. My experience is if you contest it in writing you still have to pay the entire fine first. Guess what happens when this cash strapped state gets the entire fine amount in their bank account-you guessed right, good luck at getting it back. If you get denied in writing you can still appeal and have to show up to court. Same thing happens though the judge will side with the police officer in most cases. The best way to fight this is get a lawyer. You won't have to go to court and he will take care if it for you. It may cost you a couple of hundred dollars but it is better than six hundred plus your time. If you need the name of one PM me and I will pass along the name and number of a lawyer my friend used and it worked for him twice!
 
brondondolon said:
I'm 27 and I've had a bunch of tickets in the past so I know the ramifications if I don't pay. I'm just curious if I have grounds to plea not guilty. What sucks is the court house is 7 hours away and I just had to go there on the 18th for speeding.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using AG Online
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Just my $.02, but in Chicago, even if you contest a ticket and win, you still pay court costs, yes - even if you WIN! (from what ive been told) I doubt that other places are this crappy, but it might be worth looking at.

It also seems odd that you would get a ticket for having lights like a police officer, but not have stronger consequences for "impersonating an officer"
 
What's it worth to you?

This can only be in your favor if the money you spend on fighting this is less than the fine itself. Consider the time and expense it takes to get to the court (gas, milage, wear and tear; you'll have to detail your car again because of the dirt). Consider the time/expense lost to your business or full time work -- whatever that is. If you have an attorney, factor in the cost of that. If the court is 7 hours away, are you going to drive right back or stay in a hotel? Another potential expense...

It sucks, but sometimes it's more economical and practical to bite the bullet -- even if you're right.


(Be careful driving your noncompliant car back there!)
 
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