Help Beating a Ticket please

[allute]

Ok, yeah I admit I was a moron. I peeled out in a parking lot with a girlfriend watching. Problem is, so was a cop. Well, here are some of the facts that are present. I'm working on polishing my arguments to present in court.

1.) The officer threatened that he could present me with a CNI ticket (I'm assuming CNI means Car Not Insured seeing as I accidentally handed him an expired copy of my insurance), but he proceeded to be merciful for kissing ass. I ended up with a $10 no seat-belt citation, although I had been wearing my seatbelt. (I've got no problem with the $10 although I'm currently unemployed. I just would prefer not to have a ticket on record.)

2.) It was sprinkling and the ground was wet. Sadly this is the only way besides a gravel pit that I can get my stock Saturn to peel out -_-.

3.) My license plates had not yet been changed from Texas to Missouri, but the officer let it slide. Could this possibly come back to bite me in the ass if I plead not guilty to the seat-belt citation?

4.) The copy of the citation issued is barely legible. I don't think its a strong point in my argument. I just can't read what the hell he wrote as the offense.

5.) This occurred in a grocery store parking lot after hours. Privately owned lot, but no signs posted about loitering, after-hour trespassing, etc.

6.)The town is relatively small. Therefore I don't know if the cop's schedule allows him to be present at the court date (Which is being changed. Cops usually assign court dates on days when they are not assigned to patrol or their day off.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read it all.

[drdisque]

it doesn't matter that its in a parking lot, as long as its connected to a road, he has jurisdiction. Just pay the $10 for the seat belt. You should be fine on the registration being in TX as long as the TX registration is current.

[allute]

Won't this ticket bump up my insurance?

[drdisque]

it depends what the ticket is, a seatbelt ticket does not

[allute]

Thank God I didn't opt for CNI. It doesn't mean Car Not Insured, which I am insured. It means Careless Neglegent Indulgence, and is punishable by license revoking and fines.

[Igovert500]

Pay the seatbelt ticket. I got one in NY for doing 2x the speed limit. Bargained the cop down to the seatbelt ticket. Just pay it. My insurance didn't go up, my job checked my license history and didn't even find it, and no cop that has pulled me over since (quite a few) has said anything either. So I really would just pay the fine and not waste your time in court.

Plus, some judges will let you slide on your first appearance in court...but they wont be so lenient the 2nd time. I'd save your first appearance for something worth fighting.

[clawhammer]

If you fight it, it will bite you in the ass.

[tr10av]

Why bother fighting a $10 ticket. If you're lucky go through your couch and you could maybe find enough spare change. Although if I understand correctly if the officer doesn't show up to court the charge is automatically dismissed. If you get lucky cops don't like to show up to court on off days or vacations. They'll only show up if they're getting paid to. Or if you live in a big city where the cops have a lot to do most won't waste an hour going to court. So you could possibly luck out if you actually get a serious ticket that was worth fighting.

[lilcoatman]

dude the only thg you can really fight is little shit thats a lot of shit he let ya slide for and if ya plead not guilty the cop will show up to the following court and work against ya and will make ya pay the ticket and it will save ya time just pay the 10 bux

[dyna]

I agree. It's not worth the aggrevation to go to court and everything to pay a $10 ticket. In addition your insurance will not go up either. I had to pay 50 for my seatbelt. And I just paid it. So 10 isn't bad at all. It's hard for me to say this. But it seems like the cop wasn't a total jerk.

[Igovert500]

Well in the last 2 months, I'm sure he already made his decision. Could people please check the dates before they post.

[tubjub]

$10 for " no seat belt " ? damn its like $100 here in ohio

[ipoopyinmypants]

dude fight it, 10 bucks is a lot in the long run...haha, i'm just making fun of what Igovert500 said.