More Great Traffic Court Tips
In our first post on "traffic court tips," we explained three things that are critically important.
- Know what type of hearing you are attending
- Know exactly what you were charged with (not as easy as it sounds)
- Get to court early and listen, listen, listen
No doubt, those three tips will get you very far. But based on the feedback we got from that post, you are ready for more. So here goes. Here's more traffic court tips you can use the next time you get a traffic ticket and decide to fight it yourself.
Prepare your motions in advance
If you took advantage of the tips from the previous post, you will know what type of hearing you are attending and you will know if you can present evidence at this hearing or if you will be allowed to make any motions. Assuming you will be allowed to make motions, do not decide as you are walking up to the judge, exactly what motion you will be arguing.
Judges hear motions all the time and want it as quickly and succinctly as you can make it. The ONLY way to do that, is to prepare your motions in advance. By not going into too much unneccesary detail and getting to your point, you stand a great chance of convincing the judge to rule in your favor. Drone on and on, I can tell you right now, you'll probably hear the word "denied" before you finish. Be quick.
Bring everything with you for trial and be ready to go
This tip is similar to the one about the motions, except when you make a motion, it's just you and the judge. One on one. There's no one to lean on or help carry the load.
However, when your trial begins, you may call a witness or use a picture to help tell your story. In this case, by all means, make sure whatever you are bringing to help you, ACTUALLY HELPS YOU.
Don't bring your mother to testify that you're an excellent driver, unless your mother actually saw or heard what happened on her own (not what you told her happened). You see, the ONLY people who are allowed to testify at trial are the witnesses who have a first hand account of what happened. If they didn't see it, the judge won't let them speak. Otherwise, they are relaying information someone told them and that's called "hearsay" which is a big NO-NO in court and will not be allowed.
Knowing this rule is very important. It's the reason many people complain that they weren't given a fair chance to tell their side of the story and their witnesses can't help them. There are exceptions to the hearsay rule, but as a guide, if you or someone else is describing what someone told you, it ain't gonna be allowed. Save your breath.
Don't lose focus
Finally, remember the big picture. If you lose one of your motions, the case isn't over and how you deal with the rejection will go a long way in how the judge sees you and feels about you. The same goes for what the officer is saying. Traffic court cases are won and lost because of many details. Don't get so hung up on one or two that they cause you to lose focus if things start to go poorly. Keep your composure and "never let 'em see you sweat."
If this sounds too complicated, you can always call a traffic ticket attorney who can give you a free consultation or handle the case without you having to waste your own time. Most trials in Florida can only be heard after attending 2 other preliminary hearings. It may not be worth your time to attend all three.
