In order to get the best information when fighting a traffic case, you’ll need to first and foremost know your rights.
Over the years, jurisdictions have increased their reach in trying to catch traffic offenders. One of the most used forms of issuing and enforcing tickets are traffic monitoring cameras.
With this in mind, read on to learn a bit more about what you should know about these cameras, how you can defend your case if photographed and how you can move forward.
Understand That Traffic Monitoring Cameras Don’t Denote Guilty Verdicts
It’s human nature to feel that it’s an open and shut case when you get a photograph in the mail of you committing a traffic violation.
It’s right there in the photo, so it has to be legally binding, right?
Wrong.
Just because you seemingly were caught by traffic monitoring cameras doesn’t mean that you have no rights.
Contrarily, you need to know that there are several defenses you can use when you get that photo in the mail.
First and foremost, in most cases, the driver, rather than the vehicle owner, will be held responsible. So if the person driving your vehicle isn’t you, you definitely need to make sure that you pursue a legal defense.
Next, be aware that these cameras aren’t infallible, so it’s very possible to beat the ticket due to a malfunction defense. A lot of other circumstances come into play — including the weather that day, the signage that you see around the intersection in question, and more.
Above all, do everything that you can to fight the situation, rather than thinking that the camera tells the entire story.
Know Which Cases These Traffic Monitoring Cameras Are Applicable To
While traffic monitoring cameras are used widely, you need to know that they’re not the end all, be all of traffic cases.
In most cases, they’re used for red light violations. Some traffic monitoring cameras are optimized to catch speed limit violators as well.
These cameras are also not applicable to reckless driving or DUI cases.
If you’re charged with a violation that doesn’t apply, you’ll definitely need to bump back and get the assistance of a traffic attorney.
Find Out Which Evidence Is Admissable
You definitely need to fight back against a traffic violation photo, because they’ve widely been considered inadmissible in many situations.
For instance, a town in Ohio had to pay back more than $3 million in traffic fines because the evidence was found to be unconstitutional.
Many attorneys understand this and can help you craft whichever kind of defense is useful in winning your case.
Never Pay A Traffic Ticket Based On Monitoring Camera Evidence Alone
Florida traffic laws are nuanced, so the worst thing you can do is pay your fine without even attempting a defense.
The onus is on the court system to figure out if you were in violation, so don’t simply pay the fine just because you got the letter in the mail.
Make sure that the court system has more significant evidence against you, rather than the traffic photos alone. Doing so will often show you just how little evidence the jurisdiction has on you.
Since most people simply pay the fine and forget about it, the general public feels as if they don’t have rights beyond that. Conversely, hiring a lawyer to give you the best chance will be very much worth your time.
Speak To A Traffic Lawyer To Learn About Your Case
It’s important that you work hard to hire a traffic lawyer that is used to fighting these sort of cases.
When you get in touch with a firm that has the best professional experience, you won’t have to worry about whether or not you have the right defense. These attorneys are great at poking holes in the traffic evidence against you, which is worth it for the peace of mind alone.
By speaking to a traffic attorney, you’ll be able to also get an idea of how they will defend you, along with your reasonable odds of winning the case.
If you really want help in this regard, make sure that you speak to about five different traffic law firms.
Sign A Contract To Get The Lawyer’s Representation
When you are faced with a traffic ticket, your success rate goes up tremendously when you hire a traffic attorney.
By getting a lawyer’s representation, you’ll also have a contract that displays all of their fees and their obligations for representing you. When you get these contracts, you should use them to shop among different attorney firms.
This way you’ll have the chance to shop for a great lawyer and will be able to get the best deal.
Work With Your Lawyer For Best Results
To really make sure that you’re well represented, hire the assistance of an attorney that you can trust. That trust is so critical, because you’ll need to have faith in their strategy, so you can work with them the entire time.
Check in with your attorney from time to time to see if there’s anything you can do to help. They’ll likely want to walk you through your story several times to make sure you’re speaking factually and not hindering your own case.
Get In Touch With Our Law Firm
Follow these tips so that you don’t throw away money simply paying a ticket that you got in the mail.
If you’re looking for representation, we can help. Get in touch with our law firm so we can assist you.