By Joseph Palumbo III
It is possible to successfully fight traffic tickets, even though our system is set up to discourage you from contesting them. In speaking with Queens community members who have had experience in this area, I will talk about how to win in traffic court.
You can downgrade the severity of what you were charged with or have the ticket expunged. First, note your court date and show up for your preliminary hearing. The court date on your ticket is the hearing date. Dress appropriately, so go for business casual. Get to court at least a half hour before the time stated on your ticket.
Seek the prosecutor assigned to your case and speak with him or her about it. Do not be confrontational, but polite and courteous and address the circumstances of your case. The prosecutor does this for a living and will see through shady storylines. Ask the prosecutor if you can make a deal before the case is called after explaining yourself or plea to a lesser charge that does not include points on your license.
If you do not get a chance to meet with the prosecutor or cannot come to terms with him or her, then sit and wait to state your case to the judge. Explain yourself, but never lose your cool or say anything to antagonize the judge or prosecutor. If you lose, appeal your case. One thing that was consistent with everyone I spoke with was that most people do not know they have the legal entitlement to appeal their case and come back to court for a formal hearing regarding their ticket.
So How’s Business regarding successfully dealing with a traffic ticket? It seems sometimes even with the most perfect strategy, you still have a negative outcome. If you follow these pointers, however, you have a better chance of coming away with a better outcome. Do not have an I−am−100−percent−correct attitude. That will only lead to you losing your case.
Contact Joe Palumbo at 516−297−4034 or jp@c21amhomes.com.
