The coming of the New Year is a time of cheer, colored lights and giving. Not wanting to miss out on this annual opportunity, numerous law enforcement officers get into the spirit about this time by flashing their multi-colored lights and giving out numerous tickets with seeming glee. Ostensibly this giving is in the name of protecting and serving the community, but with the number of tickets I see for “rolling stops” at desolate, high visibility three way stops from patrolmen lying in wait, I’d more probably venture this “giving” is more for the continued revenue of our municipalities.
Now, if you are one of those folks who go out and breaks the law when driving, shame on you – you deserve your ticket. However, if you are the unlucky recipient of an unmerited ticket, and I assure you there are plenty of those types given out, below are a few tips you need to keep in mind.
Tickets are jurisdictional. That means the Texas Constitution only allows an officer who stops you to write you a ticket in certain areas. He may only demand that you appear in certain traffic courts, as well. Most, if not all of Much Ado, is distributed on the north side of town, which is in Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 – presided over by the Honorable Judge Keith Baker. If you receive a ticket from a Bexar County Sheriff on the north side and the box at the bottom doesn’t show a number 3 or if the judge assigned doesn’t say Baker, there may be a jurisdictional problem and you may be able to get your ticket dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.
Always be polite. There is no faster way to receive multiple tickets than to be rude to an officer. Reserve your time to fight in court if you believe you have been unfairly cited for a traffic violation.
Observe your surroundings when pulled over and then get a lawyer. It is important to make a mental note of all that you can – the who, what, when, where and why of your traffic stop. Then seek out a lawyer to help get your fine reduced or to fight in court for you. Believe it or not, a lawyer may actually be cheaper.
The Coquat Law Firm can help with traffic tickets from Bexar County Sheriffs and SAPD. For assistance call (210) 745-2825 or go to www.TrafficTicketSA.com.