You get pulled over. You were cordial, polite, and explained what you saw of the situation, but the officer still handed you that ticket. Now what? Do you pay it and move on?
Not so fast. There’s still hope you can have your speeding ticket dismissed. Maybe you think that’s the stuff of legends.
Actually, winning a Louisiana ticket dismissal? Is it possible?
Not only is it possible, but we’ll also teach you how to do it.
Reasons Your Speeding Ticket Can be Dismissed
You’d be surprised how much can go your way after you’ve been ticketed. Let’s look at a few potential ways your ticket could be rendered invalid.
The Officer Took Down the Wrong Information
Law enforcement officers are humans. Humans make mistakes. If there is anything wrong with the ticket, you could find yourself having your citation dismissed.
Did they write the wrong name? Or did they miss part of your name, such as a middle name, or only write half of a hyphenated last name?
Did they have the correct time of day? Did they write down the correct type of car? The right color?
Anything that is inaccurate places doubt on the officer’s diligence in writing a citation. Doubt on the officer could result in you getting off scot-free.
Malfunctioning Equipment
There are a few situations to consider. If you were pulled over by a police officer, did they show you the radar gun with your speed listed on it?
Is there a way you can prove that it’s incorrect? One specific example is that some vehicles have computerized systems, either through parental settings or a different application, that automatically limit speed. If you can prove the radar gun was incorrect, you can have your speeding ticket dismissed.
Traffic cams are even more notorious. While it’s unlikely they’ll malfunction for a speed issue, if you can prove you weren’t the driver (or if it’s not even your vehicle, which is possible) you’ll likely be able to get out of your ticket.
Proactively Contacting the Police Officer or Judge
Reaching out to a police officer can prove beneficial. Odds are they’ll be willing to communicate with you at a separate time if you reach out. Your best bet would be to negotiate an alternative punishment or prove you’ve taken steps to improve your driving.
Contacting the judge who presides over your case can have its benefits as well. If you reach out via writing, the judge may be able to alter your punishment or remove the ticket altogether.
A likely alternative you should offer, should you reach out, is for your punishment to be a defensive driving course. There are numerous options for taking these courses, several of which are online, and usually only require a small amount of time. These can be way better than paying the hefty fine on a speeding ticket.
The Police Officer Doesn’t Show Up
This is a hail-mary situation. If the officer doesn’t show up, provide evidence, or send a proxy, there’s little the judge can do to uphold the punishment of your speeding ticket.
Again, come prepared to plead your case and be grateful if the case is thrown out.
Can I Win My Louisiana Ticket Dismissal in Court?
Going to court isn’t the end of the world. In fact, there are a number of excuses you can provide that may help you get your ticket dismissed. Some are going to have better results than others, but all can work if you’re honest about the situation.
Safety
Were you trying to avoid an accident? Were you trying to get around a semi that had been veering off the road the past two miles?
Odds are the officer who issued your citation will have some recollection of your incident. If they don’t, or can’t contest the situation, then it’s possible the judge will dismiss your claim at face value. Of course, if you have dash-cam footage or some means to prove you were speeding out of a concern for your safety, this will greatly boost your chances of dismissing the citation.
The Police Officer Made Me Do It
Yes, this is a reasonable excuse. If you had to speed out of your lane due to a police officer (or any emergency vehicle) coming up behind you, you can use this as a valid excuse for speeding.
A case like this was actually taken to the Supreme Court, in State v. Brown, which determined that because the violation was a result of actions from law enforcement, the violator couldn’t be prosecuted.
Situational, but if it happened then use this case to better your chance at getting your citation dismissed.
It Was an Emergency
This will likely require evidence. If your spouse was pregnant, waiting for you at the hospital, bring the paperwork or birth certificate, showing why you were speeding. Unless the judge has a sense of humor, maybe leave your newborn at home.
Or, if you had an ‘invisible’ injury — something the officer couldn’t see to confirm, such as needing your appendix to be removed– show the medical paperwork and any associated bills that document this.
Seek Legal Counsel
Whether you think you have a case in-the-bag or not, seeking a professional’s advice isn’t a bad way to go.
There are traffic ticket attorneys available specifically for circumstances like this. They are experts who specialize in navigating the murky legal system to get their clients out of situations exactly like yours.
There aren’t too many situations they haven’t encountered and likely will be able to find a way to get your ticket dismissed.
Get that Ticket Dismissed
Now that you know it’s possible to win a Louisiana ticket dismissal, start building your case and go do it.
If you believe you have a case but aren’t sure what you’ll need or where you’re supposed to go, reach out to us here at Louisiana Speeding Ticket. We’re committed to fighting for you so that you can get that ticket dismissed and get back to living your life.
