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Well, had the trial today. It was anti-climatic. I had the aerial shot printed on 11x17 paper with mathematical calculations proving I was going under 50mph. I had the video ready on my Ipad and I had all my talking points typed up on my Iphone. The DPS trooper was there surprisingly with about 8 other troopers. I guess the judge gets them all together at one time and tries to knock them all out at once is what one of the troopers told me.
RS was on vacation this weekend so his bro-in-law, Robert Gregg, represented me. He was a nice guy and really liked my video (via open records request to the DPS) and all my evidence. He went up before the start of the trial and told me the prosecutor offered to drop the no front plate ticket and give me deferred on the passing stationary emergency vehicle ticket. I told him no way and I wanted to go to trial on the passing ticket.
So, I sit there for a while while Mr. Gregg sits at the front. I look down and start refining my talking points on my Iphone and after about 30 minutes as the court processes other people, etc., I glance up and see Mr. Gregg walking towards me.
I stand up and he tells me he got the passing ticket dismissed on a technicality. Apparently, the complaint listed something about how passing a stationary emergency vehicle is a violation of the law, but never specifically said I violated that law. So, not sure I understand that, but the court screwed up the paperwork and I got my passing ticket dismissed.
My options on the no front plate ticket were to pay $117 and be done with it or Mr. Gregg would appeal it to another court and fight it another day. He said that while the Texas Legislature screwed up on the penalty provisions (i.e. forgot to put them in) for the no front plate, the courts have been ignoring that and still imposing the fine on the intent of the statute or some BS like that.
In short, I could fight it and pay Mr. Scott a bit more money and likely lose and pay even more money on the ticket (due to extra court costs, etc.) or just pay the $117 ($50 fine plus $67 court costs). I decided to suck it up and pay the money, so I didn't waste any more time, and I didn't have a very good defense on that citation (because I didn't have a front plate on the car obviously).
So, I won on the passing citation, but it's bittersweet as I really was prepared to fight and win the trial, so getting dismissal on a technicality didn't leave me with a warm fuzzy. Plus, paying the $117 on the no front plate ticket didn't help. All that said, it's done.
RS was on vacation this weekend so his bro-in-law, Robert Gregg, represented me. He was a nice guy and really liked my video (via open records request to the DPS) and all my evidence. He went up before the start of the trial and told me the prosecutor offered to drop the no front plate ticket and give me deferred on the passing stationary emergency vehicle ticket. I told him no way and I wanted to go to trial on the passing ticket.
So, I sit there for a while while Mr. Gregg sits at the front. I look down and start refining my talking points on my Iphone and after about 30 minutes as the court processes other people, etc., I glance up and see Mr. Gregg walking towards me.
I stand up and he tells me he got the passing ticket dismissed on a technicality. Apparently, the complaint listed something about how passing a stationary emergency vehicle is a violation of the law, but never specifically said I violated that law. So, not sure I understand that, but the court screwed up the paperwork and I got my passing ticket dismissed.
My options on the no front plate ticket were to pay $117 and be done with it or Mr. Gregg would appeal it to another court and fight it another day. He said that while the Texas Legislature screwed up on the penalty provisions (i.e. forgot to put them in) for the no front plate, the courts have been ignoring that and still imposing the fine on the intent of the statute or some BS like that.
In short, I could fight it and pay Mr. Scott a bit more money and likely lose and pay even more money on the ticket (due to extra court costs, etc.) or just pay the $117 ($50 fine plus $67 court costs). I decided to suck it up and pay the money, so I didn't waste any more time, and I didn't have a very good defense on that citation (because I didn't have a front plate on the car obviously).
So, I won on the passing citation, but it's bittersweet as I really was prepared to fight and win the trial, so getting dismissal on a technicality didn't leave me with a warm fuzzy. Plus, paying the $117 on the no front plate ticket didn't help. All that said, it's done.
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