Milwaukee County Sheriff

[TT71]

Well guys the Milwaukee County Sheriff finally got me. He lasered me me doing 72 in a 50. He was generous and only wrote me up for 70. This is not my first ticket in fact there are 2 on my record right now. Not sure how many points I have.
My questions are:
Should I get an attorney and hope he can get me a good deal? If so any recommendations?
Or....
Do I just show up for court with a bottle of KY in hand and hope they are gentle?
Lets please stick to the answering of my questions as I know that there will be someone out there that will just want to jump on the soap box and start preaching.

 

[jcrews]

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers/drivers/points/point.htm
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/library/research/law/wisstat.htm

Your best option will likely be to plead guilty and pay the fine. All I can say is to not be in a hurry and enjoy the slow ride.

Do your homework, and maybe you can get legal advice from the state attorney. It may also be a good idea to contact the prosecutor and seek options, i.e. reduced points or dismissal in exchange for fines and/or probation, traffic school, etc.

 

[jasonTDI]

GET an ATTORNEY! You'll need it since that's a doosey ticket. 20 over is bad news for points and your insurance. It's a dropper from pretty much every company. They are concerned with the $$ so your guy will get it to some equally expensive or more so non-moving violation. Again, it's about the $$. Figure $500-750 min when you're done but it'll save you thousands over the next 3 years on your insurance.

 

[40X40]

GET an ATTORNEY! You'll need it since that's a doosey ticket. 20 over is bad news for points and your insurance. It's a dropper from pretty much every company. They are concerned with the $$ so your guy will get it to some equally expensive or more so non-moving violation. Again, it's about the $$. Figure $500-750 min when you're done but it'll save you thousands over the next 3 years on your insurance.

+1 ^

There was your answer! Procedures vary from state to state and even court to court, get an Attorney and be prepared to shell out some big bucks short term to save even more money long term.

Bill

 

[Shouse]

agreed

 

[Ski in NC]

I got tagged doing 80 something in a 45 zone (actually coming down a entrance ramp in the tdi) in South Carolina. Trying to make a flight. I called my lawyer bud here in NC, who is also on the SC bar. For a few hundred bucks....he made it "go away". He would not tell me how he did it, and I certainly did not pester him. Still mighty curious, and mighty fortunate.

 

[TT71]

Well guys not that it makes much of a difference. But the ticket is for 70 in a 55. 4 points. Anybody know of a surgeon that amputates right feet as an elective surgery, Mine is too heavy.
Guys, thanks for the advice should you come up with something feel free to drop a line.

 

[jasonTDI]

Ahhh, looked closer at the ticket huh?

I'd still get a lawyer. 3 tickets in 3 years is still an insurance killer.

 

[Sip'n Diesel]

I would move to Illinois. oh, and *** are points?

(just kidding!)

good luck on a decent outcome, very good advice from everyone!

the only thing I can think of right now: if the officer doesn't show up to court, if he is not licensed to use LIDAR, your ticket has errors/false information, etc etc; does it get dismissed?

 

[waitin4mine]

I was told by a friend he always contests a ticket in court-write down everything you can remember and hope the officer doesn't show up. Heavy fine but not 20 mph so there is a little sliver of silver....
Mary

 

[Curious Chris]

Standard Wisconsin practice: go to court or get an attorney and you can get it changed most likely to less than 10 over which is I think only 2 points.

 

[RabbitGTI]

Sometimes you can call the city attorney and plead guilty to "interference with sign or signal" or some other non-points offense. That costs more than the speeding ticket, but they are happy to do it because they make more money.

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

I've had to do this a few times in the last decade or so and they've all been the same. Milwaukee County is pretty easy really. Take a half day vacation on your scheudled appearance date and show up downtown at the courthouse - make sure you don't have anything other than a pen and your checkbook/paperwork because they just about strip search you on the way in.

They will heard you and ~30 other people in a room with a bench and stenographer (sp?) and clerks and such. The judge walks in - "Everyone who has a ticket for speeding (and I think your's will fall in this category - thanks to the officer for writing it down to 70) stand up - Here's the deal, we'll change the ticket to "defective equipment/speedometer", non moving violation, pay the same fine" and everyone says "Yes, your honor" and you all file out to the clerk's office and pay your fine and be on your way. It's the fastest $6k tax collection you've ever seen.

If you make the effort to show up and contest it, they feel it's apparently worth something or you truly feel that you have a case and then they'll actually have to put some effort into it. I actually rode my bike to the courthouse in February to do this and avoid a ticket (I lived downtown at the time).

If you do actually want to contest it, you still have to go through the above, but you plead "Not Guilty" and then they schedule a 2nd court date for you and the officer.

Oh - and unplug your MAF sensor

 

[TT71]

Guys thanks for sound advice. Fub thanks for the insight on the court process. Here in Racine they beat us up and it seems after your first or second speeding ticket they hold firm. But what you are saying makes sense as I'm sure they have many more cases to go through and the judge wants to make tee time on the golf course.
I need to ask though why should I unplug my MAF?

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

To keep you from getting another speeding ticket

 

[TT71]

Actually I'm thinking of the right foot delete mod.

 

[All of Us]

Unplug the MAF????

Matt:

Does unplugging the MAF make the car perform so poorly that you couldn't go fast enough to get a ticket? Just curious?

Dan

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

No, but it takes a lot more work/time to do it.

 

[SpeedFreek]

GET an ATTORNEY! You'll need it since that's a doosey ticket. 20 over is bad news for points and your insurance. It's a dropper from pretty much every company. They are concerned with the $$ so your guy will get it to some equally expensive or more so non-moving violation. Again, it's about the $$. Figure $500-750 min when you're done but it'll save you thousands over the next 3 years on your insurance.

This This This!!!

I have been paying through the nose for insurance since I was 19 and had to switch insurance companies. But in Milwaukee its pretty easy to get out of it, whatever you do do NOT let it slide and just pay the fine.

Also, that was hardly what I would consider speeding.

 

[TT71]

This This This!!!
Also, that was hardly what I would consider speeding.

I agree. So lets tell that to the Sheriff.
Do you think if I tell the judge "It couldn't have been me because my car is a diesel. Everyone knows that diesels are slow stinky and noisy. Remember the gm diesels from the late 70's?" He will let me off.
Sure would be nice to use peoples ignorance against them in this situation. With my luck the judge would be a dunce and say "they don't make diesel cars you're lying" then cite me for contempt or perjury.

 

[Jack_Berry]

I've had to do this a few times in the last decade or so and they've all been the same. Milwaukee County is pretty easy really. Take a half day vacation on your scheudled appearance date and show up downtown at the courthouse - make sure you don't have anything other than a pen and your checkbook/paperwork because they just about strip search you on the way in.

They will heard you and ~30 other people in a room with a bench and stenographer (sp?) and clerks and such. The judge walks in - "Everyone who has a ticket for speeding (and I think your's will fall in this category - thanks to the officer for writing it down to 70) stand up - Here's the deal, we'll change the ticket to "defective equipment/speedometer", non moving violation, pay the same fine" and everyone says "Yes, your honor" and you all file out to the clerk's office and pay your fine and be on your way. It's the fastest $6k tax collection you've ever seen.

If you make the effort to show up and contest it, they feel it's apparently worth something or you truly feel that you have a case and then they'll actually have to put some effort into it. I actually rode my bike to the courthouse in February to do this and avoid a ticket (I lived downtown at the time).

If you do actually want to contest it, you still have to go through the above, but you plead "Not Guilty" and then they schedule a 2nd court date for you and the officer.

Oh - and unplug your MAF sensor

they got me coming off the ramp from 894/43 to 94 sb. same deal plead guilty and get 1 or 2 points. easiest court date i ever had. besides the one in chgo a long time ago when i called the cop stupid and the judge agreed!! ticket dismissed.

 

[MPLSTDI]

While normally I would say suck it up, get an attorney. I got a careless ten years back for doing 130 in a 65. I paid a attorney for legal advice, basically he wasn't on retainer but just spoke to the country's lawyer and I was able to plead guilty and end up with a speeding ticket (91mph) and a year of probation, and had to take a defensive driving course.
Otherwise a careless is just as bad as a DWI to my insurance company. Sometimes you have to pay money to save money.

 

[JSO]

TT71,
FWIW
I have been pulled over in the same location (and for the same speed) not too long ago. My experience was that if you go to traffic court for this citation you will be offered two options for a plea. (so boiler plate that they have photocopies of the plea agreement that they hand out) The first being a reduced 2 point offence with the same monetary fine or option 2 a monetary fine for $100 over your current citation with no points assessed(some odd parking fine will be placed on your record).
I hope your court date goes well.

 

[Thunderstruck]

To laser, they have to aim at a reflective surface, either your plate or headlights. One thing that dramatically cuts down on laser range is clear duct tape, which you can find at Wal mart. It's a little opaque, but you can slap some on your headlights during the day.
http://www.boingboing.net/2004/04/13/clear-duct-tape.html

 

[leicaman]

But if you get lucky and get pulled over by the sherriff himself and you are drunk, he might not even notice.

Its a true story. Another officer got on the hot seat because she did her job and made the big man look bad.

 

[TT71]

Well guys sorry to resurrect this dead thread but I know alot of you were loosing sleep over this matter. (yeah right)
Well I did go to court and it pretty much was as described by FUB and JSO. I was given a choice pay the fine 2 point reduction and they call it a defective speedometer. Not to much of a stretch of the truth for a VW. My other choice was to pay 250.00 and get 0 points and they will call it a parking ticket. I chose option b not because I have the extra cash but I was concerned about my insurance going up.
So I just want to thank FUB and JasonTDI for their input. Not that the other peoples opinions didnt count but it was FUB and JasonTDI's inputs that stuck with me. So in closing thanks to everyone who took the time to input and it people liek you guys that make this forum a great one.

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

Glad it worked out in your favor - and Milwaukee County thanks you for your $$$

 

[TT71]

Fub thanks and like you said it was the wastest 6,000 dollar tax collection I have ever seen.

 

[Paul7878]

Man this makes me glad to live in North Dakota. Speeding tickets here are a slap on the wrist. I got caught going 70 in a 55 and I think it was a 15-20 ticket and 1 or 2 points! I think tickets may have went up 10 bucks. I love it here! 75MPH interstates and cheap tickets! How many points are you guys from Wisconsin allowed? We get 12.

 

[TT71]

Here we are allowed 12 points. One big difference between ND and Wi is that a majority of the people here are under the misguided notion that the government is here to help us and there is not a problem the government can't fix. Some of us Wisconsinites here refer to the state capitol as The Peoples Republic of Madison. Jasontdi has coined the phrase when describing the state capitol as 78 square miles surrounded by reality or Madison, where everything is beyond parity.