[Jeff Higgins]

Yeah, I use a local lawyer of very good reputation. She starts by actually reviewing the paperwork in one's specific case for any "gotchas". That is, unfortunately, about the only way we well and truly "win" - a summary dismissal on procedural (paperwork) grounds.

No one "wins" in court in Washington if it actually goes to trial. Traffic violations are now "civil" violations, wherein the accusing authority need only provide a "preponderance" of "evidence". Which is no more than the accusing officer saying "yessir, Ah seen 'em do it".

So we are reduced to seeing if the officer, then the court clerks, "dotted all of their 'I's' or crossed all of their 'T's". Failing in that regard, we are then reduced to negotiating with the prosecutor and/or court to reduce the infraction to a monetarily equivalent non-moving violation that does not go on our record. The last time I did this, I got a speeding ticket reduced to a seatbelt ticket. On my Ducati.

All they really want is our money...