Has anyone had to fight a traffic ticket lately in the city of Detroit? After 20 + years of no tickets, and a clean driving record I was pulled last night. He asked if I know why he was pulling me over, I was really nice and said yes. I did a "rolling stop" then turned through a red flashing light. I told the officer that I had a major bathroom emergency (I have Crohn's Disease) and that I was sorry I have seconds to find a bathroom. He said really-he did not believe me!! After about 10 minutes of ready to go to the alley, he comes back and hands me a ticket and says "I hope I did not hold you up anymore!" Really you could of let me go! He said if I go to court he would reduce the ticket. The ticket now stands at $130.00 plus 3 points on my record. I have three options:
Admit responsibility pay the fines and get points (and see my insurance rates skyrocket).
Admit responsibility with an explanation (so I could get a lesser fine maybe, without points maybe)
Deny responsibility and leave it up to the judge.
What would you do?
3-16-16
Went to court and because of my good driving record the magistrate was able to reduce the ticket, $135.00 fine, no points, and not to report to the Secretary of State Office.
Thanks everyone!
I spoke with one of our faculty members at work, who is also a lawyer (I have to pay her in candy), and she said to just go to court and plead guilty with an explanation...ask the judge to "take the matter under advisement based on your clean record" to take off the points and reduce the fine.
Here in Detroit it is very difficult to get insurance (not to mention cheap). Insurance companies only offer services in certain areas of Detroit and go by your zip code where you live and work. It cost me over $2800.00 a year for car insurance and almost $4000.00 a year for homeowners. This is why only 10% of Detroit residences have insurance.
I was not reckless driving turning a corner, and my crohns is not controllable (even with medication- sometimes only have seconds to find a bathroom.) I do not know when an attack is coming either, but have to work as my employer(s) do not offer sick days or medical leave.
you know you are guilty. You admit you are guilty.
You just pay up and suffer the consequences.
I'm sorry you have crohns disease. However, doesn't give you the right to drive recklessly. You could have had a serious accident if someone else weren't paying attention.
I would request to have adjudication withheld. You pay the fine but no point s are assessed. They usually will do that for people with clean driving records.
Pay the fines, the rules don't change for xyz reason. Completing the stop might have cost you an extra second or two? If it's that severe, consider wearing a depend, these situations are going to come up, but you don't get a free pass to run lights and stop signs due to a medical issue, that's absurd.
You knew what you did and you admitted it.
Just pay the fine and deal with it.
You needed a bathroom?
And waiting for the ticket didn't cause you to have an accident of different sort?
He might have believed you if you had soiled yourself - but it's still not a reason to run a light - and I think he still would have given you the ticket.
Ah, so what you did is one of my biggest pet peeves. I almost get hit daily by people running stop signs. Not to be mean, but I don't give two flips what your problem is if you hit my car and my kids are inside. Finding a bathroom would be the least of your worries then. AND if you caused an accident you would be hours later to a bathroom. Please, don't run red lights or roll past stop signs anymore. Stopping for 3 seconds could have saved you this headache.
Please pay the fine and learn your lesson.
Are your rates really going to skyrocket for ONE ticket in 20 years? Doubtful . . . if so, you should definitely check out other insurance companies.
I had a similar incident (not in Detroit) - I was quite pregnant and having issues with urgent urination. I was speeding (8 over on the freeway) and got stopped. The officer did follow me to the nearest place I could use the restroom but then still gave me a ticket. I was totally going to do the "admit with explanation" for my circumstances. There were 87 people at Traffic Court ahead of me (reverse alphabetical order) and EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM did the explanation thing. The judge listened patiently to each story, but not in one instance did he change the amount owing. When my turn came (3.5 hrs later due to so many explanations) I told the judge that I respected his time and the time of those in the courtroom far too much to come up with a lame excuse for breaking the law. I got a standing ovation and the judge zero'd my points for the ticket (but not the fine).
I know that I got lucky and doubtful this would work again. However, I decided after listening to all the bs the judge was handed hours before my turn, my excuse sounded no better than anyone else's.
I would admit guilt, pay the fine, and change insurance companies if I were you.
i'm sorry you didn't get a cop who would let you off, but really can't demand that any police officer is wrong to stop you for breaking the law. it was a small-ish offense, and i'm sure your medical condition is real, but that doesn't mean the cop did anything wrong.
you don't have grounds to fight it.
i mean, good for you for not lying as so many would (and so many here constantly advocate). but it's on you to manage your condition so that you don't have to break traffic laws to accommodate it.
obviously you admit responsibility with an explanation and throw yourself on the mercy of the judge. do NOT blame the cop or whine about being ticketed or 'deny responsibility' (you'll be under oath!).
it's a sucky high ticket. i hope the judge pulls the points at least. most of the time if you go to court they do. but you have zero reason to 'fight the citation' and you'd have to commit perjury to 'deny responsibility.'
and stop running red lights and stop signs.
ETA are you suggesting that everyone with bowel and bladder issues should be exempt from traffic laws?
you're still trying to use your crohns as justification for both breaking the law and being pissed that the cop didn't let you off.
use depends.
khairete
S.
Why would you fight a traffic citation for something that you know full well that you did? I would call and ask if you can do the traffic school. Otherwise, do you really have a day to drop everything and sit in court all day for this? Just pay the fine and move on...you admit that you were guilty.
admit responsibility and pay the applicable fees. theres no point in trying to deny something you know your guilty of. (but with a valid reason for doing)
who knows the judge may have compassion and toss it out
Your best bet is to go to court and ask for the class. It costs the same as the fine but you don't get the points. The only other choice is get an attorney then the fine would be the same but you have to pay the attorney and no points.
there should be a ticket # on the citation. turn it over and call the number on the back to set up a court date under the jurisdiction where you were pulled over. They may say that this ticket isn't on file yet and to call back in like 3-5 working days or such. Once your court date is set, show up and apologize to the judge. Most often, whether the officer is there or not, especially with your clean driving record, and assuming you don't have any other legal/court related issues, the judge will eliminate the points, which will erase anything on your driving record and your ins rates will not go up. the bad news is that you will have to pay the $$. This is how they make their money and they aren't going to make an exception in this case. the points and the ins rates are really the greater concern here.
hoping everything works out. oh and you're in good company, my DH had that happen to him once in Dearborn. rolling stop...please. good luck!!! S.
I would admit responsibility with an explanation and try to get the fine reduced. The reason cops ask you if you know why you were pulled over is so that if you try to fight the ticket, the cop can testify that you knew why you were being pulled over which means you knew you were breaking the law. It's an admission/confession! From now on, say "no" and make him/her tell you
I would go in and tell the judge your condition and ask for leniency. This is different than fighting a parking ticket, a "rolling stop" is the same as running the stop sign or a red light and is considered reckless driving.
I am sure they hear all the time about medical conditions or other problems and why they did it and who know if anyone is telling the truth unless you have a doctors note handy.
Pay the fine and request a hearing. When you go in to court, admit your wrongdoing but ask for leniency. Tell them that you don’t mind paying the fine but you are concerned about the points. If you are lucky the magistrate will reduce it down to a lesser offense without points. They still get their money and your insurance rates won’t sky rocket.
Find out what the procedure is for those who wish to plead not guilty. Every county has their own way of doing things. My brother used to be an Assistant State's Attorney for 2 different counties and at both positions started out in traffic court. Both counties were in Illinois, and they had very different procedures.
I went to traffic court once and had to sit through several cases before they got to mine. The judge there was very reasonable and listened to what people had to say. One person had to provide some evidence that she had mistakenly not brought with ehr. He agreed to give her another court date. Another person had a medical condition, and the judge ended up dismissing her ticket because of it.
No idea whether or not you would win your case, but you might be able to present evidence from your doctor that would cause a judge to dismiss your ticket. I would call the county office and ask to speak to someone about what you need to do and whether or not you have a case. It doesn't hurt to make a phone call and ask.
Good luck!
Not guilty and go to court. I had a parking ticket and when I went to court they dropped it to $10. If I hadn't gone to court it would have cost well over $100.
If you are going to say that you have crohn's disease get a letter from your doctor. Maybe the courts will feel bad for you and drop it or lessen the fine and points. Worth a shot right?
