I had to take the day off work to go fight a speeding ticket. The officer claimed I was in a construction zone. I didn't think I was. The last ticket I got was 4 years prior and I paid without dispute but this one I thought was a little shady.

Anyway I set up the informal hearing-what Michigan calls the pre-hearing- and I was under the impression that the officer would have to show up (if he doesn't they have to dismiss) and that I would have an opportunity to tell my side of the story to the judge.

WRONG.

I get to the court an hour early and find there's like 60 people who have a "pre-hearing" scheduled with the same judge at the same time. We share war stories. This particular municipality-Romulus- is so notorious for speed traps and tricks that Metro Airport took the rare move of putting up a billboard warning people.

Anyway I don't get to see the judge. The judge has outsourced his decision making ability to the prosecutor and a police officer. That REALLY doesn't seem fair or for that matter legal to me but it is what it is. If you have a good driving record-and I did-they offer you a much lowered (60%) fine with no points on your driving record. Otherwise you can request a formal hearing in 4-6 weeks with the judge and the actual cop who gave you the ticket but you would need a lawyer and if you lose you'd have to pay not only double the construction zone fine but also court costs.

mad eek

So I did the wise thing and took the deal. I'm not going to spend $800-$1200 to fight a ticket that's a fraction of it. And I since I work in a pretty time critical job, it's difficult to get time off. BUT I still wonder if that was the right thing to do, as opposed to the pragmatic thing to do. I'm glad I didn't just pay the original ticket fine but this city is obviously running stings. Anyway I learned more about how the system works. If I get another ticket in that area I think I will not take any deals and fight all the way. But it was just a little worrisome to see that the judge who would have heard my case is so clubby with the cops and prosecutor... uhwhat

If you're ever in Michigan be careful driving around the airport. That's Romulus and they will cost you some $$$.

"When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives."
Winter is Coming

Now this is the Law of the Jungle—as old and as true as the sky; And the wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die.
As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk, the Law runneth forward and back; For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.