I didnt know that!!
Thanks Ron, I will keep that in mind the next time I get a ticket, providing I have reason to dispute it, that is!!
Just call information and ask for the Bar Association in the nearest major city to where you got the ticket. When you get the ticket, do NOT let the cop know you intend to do this, especially if it's on the interstate. Even ask "Is this where I mail my payment to?"
A lot of cops don't even show up for court if they don't think anyone else will. When your attorney shows up for you and the state's witness isn't there, they'll throw it out. That attorney may be going that day anyways and not charge you much. What you pay the attorney may amount to less than what your insurance rates will go up by over time if you just plead guilty.
Even if the cop does show up, the attorney can often plead it down to a non moving violation. They still get some money, you get out of points and insurance costs. I've had it knocked down to inoperative tail light when there was nothing wrong with my tail light! The fine for that tail light "just happened" to be the same amount of money the speeding ticket was going to cost me!
(Texas)
I did this myself when I got a ticket 20 miles from my hometown. The judge wanted to postpone it because the cop wasn't there and I made an issue about the fact that I was there for my court date, that I took the trouble to be there and that I would appreciate a verdict on my case now. He threw it out. He wouldn't have if I hadn't pushed it.
Here's a pre paid legal story. I bought it about 20 years ago when they first came out. Cost me $365 to get their best plan. Unlimited ticket coverage for a year! (for a guy in his early 20s?) I had the best police scanner, radar detector, and jacked up C.B. radio that money could buy and operated on volume, driving 5,000 miles in many weeks. 1,500 in 24 hours was my personal record. Had a log book for each side of the country. If a cop made it past the three things above (Usually sneaking out into the median when nobody saw him get on the highway), I'd have the lawyer waiting in court.
Like I said, they usually don't even show up. I figured out the first time what not to say because the cop made a point of showing up when I mentioned lawyer (and the judge STILL knocked it down! LOL). Bottom line is Pre Paid Legal out of Ada, OK had to pay lawyers to show on my behalf EIGHTEEN times in 12 months! Only one of them from Oregon made it to my record. I then got a letter from Pre Paid Legal letting me know that they decided to exercise their option to not renew my policy! That's when I learned how to do it myself. I have a collection of citations, in alphabetical order, from over half the states in the country.
