Legal Question in Traffic Law in Washington

traffic ticket

Can a speeding ticket hold up in court is the officer cannot provide any ''documented evidence'' or ''proof'' that the infraction occured? It seems the officer is ''estimating'' or ''guessing''. My girls freind was pulled over and ticketed $154 for going 36 mph in a 25mph zone. She had just pulled out from her street and rolling up to a stop light. The officer was traveling in the opposite direction, passed her the U-turned and pulled her over. Without hesitation her wrote her a ticket. Her driving record is absolutely clean and she disputes the officers' evaluation. It appears he was ''estimating'' or ''guessing'' her actual speed. Without proof, can an ''estimate'' be goos enough in court? Or are we still ''innocent until proven guilty''?


Asked on 7/17/08, 2:15 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Jahnis Abelite ABELITE LAW OFFICES, P.S.

Re: traffic ticket

It depends on a number of factors. First, your friend needs to preserve her rights by contesting the ticket by checking the third box down on the back of the ticket and filling out the rest of the requested information. Then, the ticket needs to be mailed in within 15 days of issuance. You will need to keep track of this situation by checking with the court for when the hearing date is scheduled because tickets get lost all of the time. Then you will need to get discovery in a timely manner per court rules and see what documentation or :proof" the officer has of her speed. Get a good lawyer who does traffic work like I have for 27 years to help you. Otherwise, you'll be lost and at the mercy of the prosecutor and "the system". Good Luck!

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Answered on 7/17/08, 8:20 pm


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