need legal help!
Thread Starter
Evolving Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 261
Likes: 0
From: Hoffman Estates and DeKalb, Illinois
need legal help!
hi i live in illinois and i was driving home tonight when i drove through a very ill-lit intersection. there was a stop sign on my side and i pulled through it putting my car into the first lane. i stopped the car and continued by turning right. luckily there was no traffic or i could of gotten hit. a car did a u-turn and followed me for about a mile down the road where he kept radaring me to see if i was speeding or not. finally he pulled me over and i told him that i didnt see the stop sign until the last second since my LEDs were pointing down and i couldnt see well and he said that I should know better having a hot car and a radar detecting. i told him it was a accident but he gave me a ticket anyway. he also said he had me on video and i asked if i could see it and he said "no". i was wondering what everyone suggests I should do, i could go to traffic court and get 4 month probation but i would really want to get it thrown out. right now i have a barracade ticket that i pleaded not guilty for. with this i drove through a neighborhood that i know to see a friend and he wasnt home and they pulled me over for having no business there which wasnt true but i know i can get that off my record. just if anyone can pitch in your 2 cents about responses to the situation. thanks.
i drove through a neighborhood that i know to see a friend and he wasnt home and they pulled me over for having no business there which wasnt true
I would try to fight it.... if you plead not guilty and hold it to trial.... IF he doesn't show up you WIN!!!!!! But its your word against his..... And you'll probaly lose.... MY 2 CENTS.....
go to court and try to get it reduced. you broke the law (even if it was by mistake). Also in some states (WA included) the officer doesn't have to report to court unless he is subpoenaed by the defendant.
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
Evolving Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 261
Likes: 0
From: Hoffman Estates and DeKalb, Illinois
sicne i know your from that area you would know probably but its a really wooded road coming onto a somewhat big road that was completely clear.
Originally Posted by Greg K
go to court and try to get it reduced. you broke the law (even if it was by mistake). Also in some states (WA included) the officer doesn't have to report to court unless he is subpoenaed by the defendant.
well its going to be hard to argue. i know that area, cops alway try to hide in the woods late at night because it is an un-lit area. there are no street lights at all, and i dont think in that area they have to have them. unless the stop sign was hidden behind a branch, that would really be the only way to argue it. i used to take that way home from schaumburg all the time, but because of cops lately, ive been taking higgins, i got pulled over in that area a few months ago and ticketed, the cops arent nice out there... 
It will probably be worth your time and effort to meet with the prosecutor (or their rep) on the court date, before the case is heard (you need to plead not guilty beforehand, though). Many times they will allow you to plead guilty to some lesser offense, or even the one you're charged with but accepting lesser consequences. For example: here in CT, it is possible to avoid a 'speeding' ticket by pleading guilty to 'disregarding posted limit' or something similar, which carries less penalties. Sometimes you can just skate by with paying court fees and making a donation to one of their charities. Sounds crazy, I know, but it works that way here and may work that way there. BUT, you will have to plead guilty to something. Let's face it, from your post, you did the offence cited and now you have to pony up and accept the consequences. Hope this helps you out.
alright, well i drove down 62 today at 1030, pretty dark, drove by bateman road on my way home. sorry to tell you but you are pretty much screwed the stop signs are out clear from any trees, and 62 is a major road and going from a side road to a major road there is always going to be a stop sign.
Hopefully you can get it reduced, but by looking at the surroundings, doesnt look good.
the stop signs are out clear from any trees, and 62 is a major road and going from a side road to a major road there is always going to be a stop sign. Hopefully you can get it reduced, but by looking at the surroundings, doesnt look good.
