Kojak
November 16, 2011 / 15:25

I fought once, and it was a lousy experience. I waited in a large room until some smarmy 20 something crown attorney called my name. She came over to me, used the window sill as a desk, regurgitated the charge and said "guilty or not guilty?" No explanation accepted, and when I tried she simply repated "guilty or not guilty?"

Not what I had hoped for...Why did they withdraw your charges?

Ryan G
November 16, 2011 / 15:42

Back in the olden times, you used to be able to go to a JP if you wanted to plead guilty with an explanation.

One day around 1996 I got pulled over and the prick of a cop handed over seven tickets all at once, total damage about $750.

(Notice how it's the cop's fault I was speeding, didn't have my license on me, missing one of my plates,etc)

Anyway, I went to some stuffy old office at city hall and the door was slightly ajar when i went to the meeting.

I peeked in before going in, and this old crusty JP was sitting behind a desk, and he was actually sleeping. I knew then it was my lucky day.

He killed all of the tickets except one, and he even reduced it, so I ended up only having to pay thirty bucks or so.

Sweet!

(oh..forgot to add - I had to take a shower with him too)

Sammi
November 16, 2011 / 17:07

Buy a lottery ticket!

Mike from Lowville
November 16, 2011 / 17:45

My niece borrowed my car one Sunday this summer, went to Toronto. About 3 weeks later I get a summons for $450! She parked in a handicapped parking spot. She still owe me $75. I guess she should have fought it. That's the last time I lend my car.

Rick C in Oakville
November 16, 2011 / 19:51

This will be a bit lengthy but the message is the same as Mike's.
My son received a speeding ticket about 5 years ago, when he was 16/17. He had no choice to fight it as he had a minor accident on our insurance and this was going to make his rates zoom, or worst have him dropped.
Seems the cop did not reduce the ticket at the road side (there is a marking on the ticket to tell if it was) but he told my son that there weren't any points lost as they were doing a public warning program, so just pay the fine. Son pays fine then he gets a warning letter from MTO that because he is not a full fledged driver that he could lose his driving priviliges on the demerit points his ticket had ! Anyways cop had put 18 Km's over and not 15kms. We went to the JP, and told him the cop had told him no points lost, and since we had already paid the ticket he had to recall it and have the court set a date.

Months go by finally get a notice to appear in Milton court, go to court and the first thing we do is head up to see the crown, to explain the situation. She asks the judge for time to ask for the cops notes, and it turns out this is the wrong court for this case, a whole bunch of impaireds are being processed ahead of ours, so we are told to go home and wait for notification of the next to appear.

Several months go by again, get a notice to appear in Burlington this time. Head down and same ploy, see the crown first before court starts, she tells us cop never responded to notes request and between Milton and Burlington courts the paper work was lost LMFAO!!. She said that she was motioning the charges be tossed and all would be stricken from the record!
Took about 6 more months to get his ticket refund but worth the wait. He has been ticket free since and is now on his own insurance so it would hit him personally.

The key is to see the crown before court proceeds, cause once you are before the judge there is no negotiating. I saw many poor schlep wait until they were called to unfortunately have wasted their time as the judge would just give them the ticket they received, he told them time for negotiation was past, and they should have seen the crown.
I know it was a colossol waste of the courts time and my own but the cash savings could easily have been a couple of grand over the next 5 years if he hadn't beat it.

Pigeon Toed Dave
November 17, 2011 / 07:35

The judge looks at name in front of him and mumbles. Are you the same Mike Boon from the Humble and Fred Radio Show. Mr. Boon says-- yes sir I am.
Judge says-- charges dropped and keep up the good work.

Boomer
November 17, 2011 / 08:09

OR to quote Jim Carrey in Liar Liar....."stop breaking the law asshole!"

Mississauga Phil
November 17, 2011 / 08:10

My girlfiend (now wife) and I got pulled over in burlingotn when we went out to celebrate her pregnancy 5 years ago. It took a year to get in front of the judge, at which point we had the little bundle of joy with us. My wife had to come as she was a witness, but our son started screaming so she left the courtroom. When I got called up the judge asked me if I had any witnesses and I explained that my wife was out in the lobby trying to calm down my sno and could we have some time, maybe let someone go head of us. She smiled at me (she probable had grandkids herself) and told me not to worry and dropped the charges. The crown starts freaking out at which point the judge interuppted and asked if the crown was questioning her discretion...the crown slumped down in his chair and pouted....BEST JUDGE EVER!!

McNulty
November 17, 2011 / 08:35

Quite franky, I think it is bullshit.

You broke the law and were looking for a way around it. Pay the damn ticket and be done with it. If you don't like it, don't speed.

It's no wonder our court system is so clogged. People fighting tickets that they know they are guilty of.

I got a speeding ticket 4 years ago. I did it. I know I did it and the cop should have ticketed me.
I paid the fine. I wasn't a fool, I took responsibility for my actions.

Mississauga Phil
November 17, 2011 / 11:24

@ McNulty - I can't speak for anyone else, but in my case, I was not speeding, I made a right at the same time as a simialr car to mine drove by in the outside lane and the cop pulled me over saying I was going 80 in a 60...I went to court with pics of the intersection and OEM reports on my car, it would have been physically impossible for my car to get to 80kph in the distance that i had drove before the cop pulled me over..I ended up not needing the info b/c the judge sided with me right way, but I was innocent nonetheless.

MrFascination
November 17, 2011 / 13:20

The court system is a joke. Spend a day there and watch at the Bullshit that goes on... You have lawyers agreeing to drop charges because the other lawyer owes them a favour... You have people the getting off charges because the lab drug tests were not back yet. Its a joke!

Bob
November 17, 2011 / 14:02

@TO - pay the friggin' fine next time, you corrupt weasel!p.s.- probably won't post this polite comment!

Jason Patterson
November 18, 2011 / 09:20

The trick is to ask for the trial in French. The cop won't show up. What cop can master two languages?

Not that I support motorists trying to get off tickets..

HardcastleMcCormick
November 23, 2011 / 02:36

It might be no problem to take time off and wait in court all day if you're a blogger, but anyone working a 40+ hour week can tell, sometimes it ends up costing you more trying to fight a $60, and I'd much rather spend my time off doing something fun with the family