[Edris335i]

Originally Posted by jkoral

Not familiar with Southern California, but isn't the impact on your insurance rates with a moving violation much more than the cost of the ticket (with or without lawyer fees)?

Here in MA, points on your license stay for 6 years (technically they are called surchargeable incidents). So in my (daughter's) case, a surcharge of $500 to her insurance was equivalent to $3K. Due to the impact on insurance, it made it a no brainer to fight.

In California they stay for 2-3 years iirc and I've only gotten one ticket and I did traffic school for it a few years ago so it didn't skyrocket my insurance. One of my buddies with a 2017 370z got 2 tickets(could've even been 3 honestly) and his insurance jumped from $4,000 a year to about $7,000. We're also still 19-20 years old so that plays an enormous factor in the insurance price and the hikes from each ticket as well.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by Edris335i

Mine would be about $248, the company randomly emailed me a $50 off coupon so I think I'm gonna go through with them.

Yeah, 200-300 seems to be the going rate.

I really wonder how they do it. I bet most of the dismissed cases come from cops who don't show up at court. The others may be some kind of court deal to reduce the penalty.

They do mention if they can't get it dismissed, they will try to reduce the penalty from a point infraction to a non point infraction even if you have to pay the full cash fine.

[Edris335i]

Originally Posted by Z K

Yeah, 200-300 seems to be the going rate.

I really wonder how they do it. I bet most of the dismissed cases come from cops who don't show up at court. The others may be some kind of court deal to reduce the penalty.

They do mention if they can't get it dismissed, they will try to reduce the penalty from a point infraction to a non point infraction even if you have to pay the full cash fine.

From what I've been reading, the way mine would work would be that the submitted trial by declaration letter would be reviewed by a judge along with the officers letter. It requires the officer to file a decent amount of paperwork and they do not get the bonus that they would normally get if they were to show up to the courthouse. Basically the cop gets lazy or swarmed with other things and can miss the deadline to file their letter and the case automatically gets dismissed. I think I'm going to go with one of the ticket attorneys in my area and just hope that it gets dismissed. Worst case scenario, I end up paying an extra $200. Best case scenario, I pay $250 instead of $600.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by Edris335i

From what I've been reading, the way mine would work would be that the submitted trial by declaration letter would be reviewed by a judge along with the officers letter. It requires the officer to file a decent amount of paperwork and they do not get the bonus that they would normally get if they were to show up to the courthouse. Basically the cop gets lazy or swarmed with other things and can miss the deadline to file their letter and the case automatically gets dismissed. I think I'm going to go with one of the ticket attorneys in my area and just hope that it gets dismissed. Worst case scenario, I end up paying an extra $200. Best case scenario, I pay $250 instead of $600.

Good luck!

The ones who worked on my case actually went to court for me. I know this because they give me a status report, when they set the court date for and they send me the result after the court date.

[Edris335i]

Originally Posted by Z K

Good luck!

The ones who worked on my case actually went to court for me. I know this because they give me a status report, when they set the court date for and they send me the result after the court date.

Oh really? That sounds riskier imo but glad it worked out for you bro! Great come up on an unfortunate year of tickets

[PKL]

I live in SoCal. I have used an attorney maybe 5 times and GOTTEN OUT OF EVERY SINGLE TICKET. always use the attorney

[rlmesq]

Originally Posted by sspade

Anyone have luck with getting a red light camera ticket reduced in California?

I rolled through a right on red and got a $500 ticket in the mail.

Pissed!

Depends on the county. My wife got one going north on 99 entering Marysville. If you set them for trial, the cop shows up with the video (in her case, showing her completely blowing the red light as she turned right) and offered her a plea to coasting, which is a non-moving violation so it's a cheaper ticket, and doesn't add a point on your record and increase insurance rates.

[rlmesq]

I would be really hesitant to do a trial by declaration if I was actually speeding. Making a false statement in a declaration -- which is signed under penalty of perjury -- is a felony that carries up to three years in state prison. That's like blowing up your house to get rid of a fly.

[Rich.Wolfson]

Originally Posted by Edris335i

....Do they actually get cases dismissed by going through trial by declaration and sending the attorney written letter to the court?

EDIT: I live in Southern California and ticket attorneys are very popular and common here

Here in NJ I have always felt that the prosecutors are simply looking for the money so dismissing a ticket is rare particularly if you get a ticket in a municipality that uses tickets as a revenue stream.

If you go to court and meet with the prosecutor most of them will tell you what to do if your record is clean and you are dressed respectfully. They actually have a special code to give you no points one time but it costs you more. They did that because the judges were allowing a guilty plea for offenses that kept the money local rather than having to share with the State. This way everyone wins in that the state and municipality get money, and you get no points. But the judges know if you did that even once

BUT in court the attorneys go first and it's clear that people who bring attorney's get special treatment. Most times they get you what you could have gotten yourself. But who knows. The going rate is $300 for a regular ticket and $500 for a first offense DWI.

Invest in a good radar detector and pay attention to the road is my strategy.

///Rich

[shay2nak]

Used twice. One in VA and one in LA. Worked both times. Get a real lawyer, not those ticket buster places.

[Edris335i]

Originally Posted by shay2nak

Used twice. One in VA and one in LA. Worked both times. Get a real lawyer, not those ticket buster places.

How much would an actual lawyer cost? The biggest benefit of the ticket lawyers are the low costs

[Edris335i]

Originally Posted by Rich.Wolfson

Here in NJ I have always felt that the prosecutors are simply looking for the money so dismissing a ticket is rare particularly if you get a ticket in a municipality that uses tickets as a revenue stream.

If you go to court and meet with the prosecutor most of them will tell you what to do if your record is clean and you are dressed respectfully. They actually have a special code to give you no points one time but it costs you more. They did that because the judges were allowing a guilty plea for offenses that kept the money local rather than having to share with the State. This way everyone wins in that the state and municipality get money, and you get no points. But the judges know if you did that even once

BUT in court the attorneys go first and it's clear that people who bring attorney's get special treatment. Most times they get you what you could have gotten yourself. But who knows. The going rate is $300 for a regular ticket and $500 for a first offense DWI.

Invest in a good radar detector and pay attention to the road is my strategy.

///Rich

Yeah I'm usually pretty good at watching out for the officers on the side of the road but there were so many cars in the other lanes that I honestly could not see him. I definitely plan on investing in a good radar detector but I've been hesitant on pulling the trigger on one

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

It mostly works but if you're expecting to pay less in the end I don't think it will work. It's more to not lose demerit points (if that's how you work over there?) or liscence loss.

Like personally I went with them because I was about to lose my permit if they would both be guilty since it would total 5 points for 2 ticket and on a learners you only have 4. Cost me 600$ but it avoided me losing my licence for 3-6 months and probably save a lot in insurance.

[shay2nak]

Originally Posted by Edris335i

How much would an actual lawyer cost? The biggest benefit of the ticket lawyers are the low costs

$250. Worth it to me than to pay full price (or even slight discount) for the violation and use up my free traffic school. Especially since it's 1.5 years for new eligibility.

[Edris335i]

Originally Posted by shay2nak

$250. Worth it to me than to pay full price (or even slight discount) for the violation and use up my free traffic school. Especially since it's 1.5 years for new eligibility.

Wait really? Is that how much you paid for one in LA and your ticket was dismissed? If so, can I please get the name of that place and I'd most definitely go that route instead

[Edris335i]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

It mostly works but if you're expecting to pay less in the end I don't think it will work. It's more to not lose demerit points (if that's how you work over there?) or liscence loss.

Like personally I went with them because I was about to lose my permit if they would both be guilty since it would total 5 points for 2 ticket and on a learners you only have 4. Cost me 600$ but it avoided me losing my licence for 3-6 months and probably save a lot in insurance.

You are right and I00% agree that it's more beneficial to reduce points on one's license, but my curiosity can't help but think if I can get fortunate enough to get my ticket dismissed and pay 1/3 of the price and save my traffic school use for another unfortunate time

[stevenc]

Yes, in some counties and states they work very well. The attorneys are all friends with the state attorneys and pretty much work out a compromise ahead of time. The state gets some money for a non moving violation and you get your record clean. Win Win.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by Edris335i

You are right and I00% agree that it's more beneficial to reduce points on one's license, but my curiosity can't help but think if I can get fortunate enough to get my ticket dismissed and pay 1/3 of the price and save my traffic school use for another unfortunate time

Yeah.. I guess if you're willing to "gamble" and give it a go. Although if you pay 1/3 of your ticket how much are you paying for the lawyer/ticket fighters?

[Edris335i]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Yeah.. I guess if you're willing to "gamble" and give it a go. Although if you pay 1/3 of your ticket how much are you paying for the lawyer/ticket fighters?

The 1/3 of the ticket would be the attorney costs. If the ticket gets dismissed, you don't pay any of the ticket or traffic school at all. It's as if the ticket never happened, so the only cost to cover is the attorney. If the case does not get dismissed, then you have to pay the attorney and whatever the amount of the ticket is. Although you can still ask the court for a fee reduction and the option to do traffic school.

[Edris335i]

Originally Posted by stevenc

Yes, in some counties and states they work very well. The attorneys are all friends with the state attorneys and pretty much work out a compromise ahead of time. The state gets some money for a non moving violation and you get your record clean. Win Win.

Hopefully it works out for me and my case gets dismissed! I never thought of it that way, but it honestly makes a lot of sense

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by Edris335i

The 1/3 of the ticket would be the attorney costs. If the ticket gets dismissed, you don't pay any of the ticket or traffic school at all. It's as if the ticket never happened, so the only cost to cover is the attorney. If the case does not get dismissed, then you have to pay the attorney and whatever the amount of the ticket is. Although you can still ask the court for a fee reduction and the option to do traffic school.

Oh okok I see what you meant mb.

But hmm idk how it is in Calfiornia but here getting a whole ticket fully dismissed doesn't happen unless you are actually right or like prove that you were not speeding for example while in your case you were.

But I wish you best of luck, tickets are such a bitch haha

[sspade]

Anyone have a NorCal recommendation?

My ticket was in Sacramento county.