Speeding ticket in Louisiana

[Por_sha911]

Looking for suggestions for a friend in LA who got a speeding ticket from a state trooper. 85 in a 70. Mandatory court appearance.

Anyone have information about what their options are? Do they have an way to get mercy if this is the first ticket in over 20 years? I don't think they want to go to traffic school since they have zero points on their license.

Advise greatly appreciated but I'm looking for someone who knows the laws specifically in Louisiana.

[pwd72s]

Call cousin Vinny?

[hcoles]

he deserved the ticket, pay it and slow down

[Por_sha911]

Vinny won't go to LA. He'd be gator food.

[Pedro '84 Coupe]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Call cousin Vinny?

Vinny is in New York. He needs Boudreaux down here

OP: Per the La. State Trooper's website, your friend needs to contact the sheriff's department in the parish where he received the ticket to see what options he has, if any. The below is for Troop G, which covers most of NW La., but the other troops are similar.

Louisiana State Police

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by Pedro '84 Coupe

Vinny is in New York. He needs Boudreaux down here

Ain't that the truth! Thanks for the info. Good place to start.

Anyone else have a personal experience to give insight as to how the game goes?

hcoles: thanks for the kind words and helpful information

[Jim Bremner]

Originally Posted by hcoles

he deserved the ticket, pay it and slow down

Wow, you do realize that this isn't a Forum for Oldsmobile fans don't you?

[freeform911]

Find an attorney in the state that issued the ticket that deals with out of state violations...

I got busted in Virginia doing 93 in a 65...
Mandatory appearance....within days started getting letters from attorneys in Virginia that specialize in such tickets..
I hired one with the best reputation...
Ticket went from a felony charge to a moving violation...
I walked away paying something like $1600 for ticket n lawyer...2 points on my driving record..
But I hadn't had a speeding ticket in about 3 years...
It was an expensive lesson for me but....

Best for him to hire a local attorney to represent him...they know what to do...its just a money grab...

[Por_sha911]

OK, additional info for clarity. This person lives in northern Louisiana but has no connections and as stated, no tickets in over 20 yrs. They can and will pay it if they must but if there are mechanisms in the legal system to cut them a break due to their spotless record they would like to know.

[freeform911]

Yeah....PRETTY SURE THE STATE/COUNTY WILL GET THEIR MONEY... good luck to your friend...

[Roswell]

The only mercy he may receive will come from an attorney’s assistance. A local attorney.

[Mark Howard]

Find out which parish. It matters. Some are easier to deal with than others. Suggest he call the local DA or Asst DA in the parish, admit guilt, grovel a bit, pay the fine, and ask pretty please can this be reduced to a non-moving violation.

Oh, and a campaign donation doesn’t hurt...this is Louisiana after all...

[craigster59]

Dang, if only Dueller was still around. He'd of helped ya. Or got ya in more trouble....

[Instrument 41]

Being from the state I have also had my share of tickets or what my kids first place trophies..... What he needs to do is call the phone number on the ticket and talk to the sheriffs office, they are the ones that will collect. Ask them if he can pay the ticket without it being reported to his record. In the last 3 tickets I have gotten I received letter from that parish stating that if I go on line and take this test/ questionnaire and all I pay is a reduced fine and it didn't go on my record. However I did get a ticket in north LA on Interstate 20. Forgot about the ticket, missed the court date. So a bench warrant was issues. After all was said and done I paid about $675.00. Do not mess around with north Louisiana parish's. They WILL get their money. Pay up and move on. This sounds like a $250 ticket.

[hcoles]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

Wow, you do realize that this isn't a Forum for Oldsmobile fans don't you?

:-) yes I know. I've sort of been getting out of the speeding business. There are a number of reasons that would take a few pages to describe. I still have the P car and when I take it out the temptation is strong.

I'll give people a tip here. Other than getting cited for over the max. speed law if you are cited e.g. 35 in a 25, check the California Road System maps to see if the street is classified as a "local" street. If not, that street requires a survey if radar/Lidar is used. If the street is local you can't do much, if not ask for the survey from the city or county, whoever "owns" the street. If they don't want to give you the whole report get the data sheet and copies of the hand written data sheets that have the speed survey data for your street that were used as part of the report. Most cities report every 5 years. Many cities have the complete report and all the data online. There are many ways cities mess this process up and you can claim the survey invalid and therefore the officer can not testify in court. If that is the case you should be able to get the ticket dismissed.

Not from Louisiana, but I've had my share of tickets in various jurisdictions and have bargained them all down except the ones I've had dismissed.

My advice is to go in early and talk to the prosecutor about reducing the charges/increasing the fine if that will work. Better to pay 2x the face value than have insurance troubles. The fact that your friend has a clean record is a big help. A 15-over infraction cited raises the possibility that he was clocked going over that and the cop cut him a break. If that's true, there will be language on the ticket explaining what the cop did that will make your friend look worse if he tries to argue the point.

If he truly wants to try to beat it, he should hire a lawyer. Judges get annoyed when amateurs prance around the courtroom trying to defend themselves.

Most jurisdictions just want the money.

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by hcoles

I'll give people a tip here...blah blah blah...check the California Road System maps...blah blah blah.

As I originally stated

but I'm looking for someone who knows the laws specifically in Louisiana.

so this is more useless information pertaining to my friends situation in northern Louisiana but thank you for sharing.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

OK, additional info for clarity. This person lives in northern Louisiana but has no connections and as stated, no tickets in over 20 yrs. They can and will pay it if they must but if there are mechanisms in the legal system to cut them a break due to their spotless record they would like to know.

if he lives in north Louisiana but got the ticket in a Cajun parish or NoLa, then don't expect much clemency - he could say he was trying to visit his mama or grandma in that parish (but be sure it isn't a lie)

as per above, he needs a local attorney (esp. one who is buddies with the judge!); that is they way to have the judge look at his spotless driving record

and yes, govel

[speeder]

Originally Posted by hcoles

:-) yes I know. I've sort of been getting out of the speeding business. There are a number of reasons that would take a few pages to describe. I still have the P car and when I take it out the temptation is strong.

I'll give people a tip here. Other than getting cited for over the max. speed law if you are cited e.g. 35 in a 25, check the California Road System maps to see if the street is classified as a "local" street. If not, that street requires a survey if radar/Lidar is used. If the street is local you can't do much, if not ask for the survey from the city or county, whoever "owns" the street. If they don't want to give you the whole report get the data sheet and copies of the hand written data sheets that have the speed survey data for your street that were used as part of the report. Most cities report every 5 years. Many cities have the complete report and all the data online. There are many ways cities mess this process up and you can claim the survey invalid and therefore the officer can not testify in court. If that is the case you should be able to get the ticket dismissed.

If you can assist in telling me how I could get that information for a particular road, I'd be grateful. When I google the term you provide, I get this:

https://dot.ca.gov/programs/research-innovation-system-information/highway-system-engineering-products-data

How does one "check the California Road Systems map"?

[dan79brooklyn]

Showing up in person with some dumb excuse should at least get the fine reduced by 50% or more. BTDT
Surprised that you have to go to court for 15 over??!
Back in the day in VT I got caught running low 90s in a 65 by the Staties. Only $200.