NYC Traffic Tickets — Ways to Get out of Them
NYC is a tricky place to be charged with a moving violation like speeding, red light, stop sign, etc. The traffic courts in NYS are much more lax then in NYC in general and that can be tough on somebody charged with committing a traffic offense. NYC traffic courts do have competent lawyers who defend motorists available for motorists to use for a fee to help the motorists defeat the violation for which they have been charged.
NYC has a much different courtroom experience then do other parts of the State of New York. There are certain procedural differences in NYC that hurt a motorist’s chance of escaping unharmed from traffic court. There is NO PLEA BARGAINING IN NYC TRAFFIC COURT. So, for instance if you are charged with going through a red light, it is common in upstate for the judge to reduce your ticket to a parking ticket if it is your first offense and your license is clean. Whereas in NYC, you either win or lose and if you lose the fine is higher then in other parts of the state due to an increased City penalty.
Traffic court in NYC is much different in other ways then from upstate places like Westchester. Further, in NYC rules of evidence are relaxed and all testimony including heresay testimony is allowed in. Police officers do not have to produce radar detector records or supporting depositions. Also, hearings in NYC are very quick, lasting no more then four to five minutes and the police officer him or herself serve as the prosecutor. Outside NYC there is often a town prosecutor and hearings can be longer and more protective of defendant rights. Moreover, the appeals process in NYC is shortened and civil in nature as opposed to other parts of NYS. As you can see, NYC is a tough place to be a motorist charged with a speeding, red light, stop sign, or disobey a traffic device ticket, etc.
A competent an experienced traffic court lawyer can help a motorist prevail in NYC Department of Motor Vehicle traffic court. The lawyer will be familiar with court procedure, lightened rules of evidence and be familiar with the judge and his or her special quirks and tics.
NYC administrative adjudications of traffic matters require different skill then do tickets heard upstate. Please use a qualified attorney.
