The best way to beat one is NOT to get one, so we'll deal with that first.

WHAT NOT TO DO:

1. Do not be a jerk.

2. Do not admit guilt.

WHAT YOU MUST DO:

1. Say "yes Officer, no Officer" to everything. You want this over with - fast!

2. Act stupid.

3. Act scared!

4. Act ignorant about what you did.

IF YOU GET A TICKET:

1. Don't argue the situation out on the road.

2. Remember everything about the situation!

AFTER YOU GET THE TICKET/PRE-TRIAL PLEA OR APPEARANCE

1. Always plead 'not guilty.'

AS THE COURT DATE APPROACHES:

1. Very important. DELAY, DELAY, DELAY!!!!!!

2. Request information like:

a.Copies of manufacturers names, including makes, models and serial numbers of all radar/laser guns in use by the Town/City/State Police Department.

b. Copies of manufacturers recommended maintenance for all of the above stated radar guns.

c. Copies of any manufacturer literature as it relates to the correct use, including but not limited to mounting, aiming, weather and traffic limitations, for all radar guns in use by the Town/City/State Police Department.

d. A copy of the past six months' maintenance records for all of the above stated radar guns, including, but not limited to, calibration specifications.

e. A copy of the Authorized Certification of Training, issued to the Officer who gave you the ticket, in the proper use of all radar guns in use by that Town/City/State Police Department he/she works for.

f. A copy of the patrol car assignments for the date you got the ticket.

This should give you something to work with, and also make the cop not want to show up to deal with all this crap!

COURT - A FRIGHTENING PLACE

What happens in court:

Go check in with the clerk.

See if your officer arrives, if he doesn't that will often be the end right there.

The judge will call your case.

The officer will testify first.

You then question the officer

You then call any witnesses you have

The officer can make a closing statement

You can make a closing statement

The judge decides.

1. Wear a suit, if you own one. Just don't wear work clothes.

2. Be nice.

3. IT is the officers duty to prove you GUILTY. So let him prove his case.

BE confident that you will win the case!

Check the actual wording of the code you violated. Should the officer fail to prove guilt in any part of the code then you should be dismissed.

BEFORE an officer can use the radar/laser reading as evidence, he has to establish a few things Jurisdiction Certification, up to date, accurate, traffic and engineering survey, radar/laser properly calibrated, tuning forks calibrated (with radar), FCC license, radar/laser unit appears on that FCC license

If the officer attempts to use the radar reading before establishing those things above, politely interrupt and say "objection your honor, inadmissible evidence."

Then tell the judge why. If the officer cannot prove his point then you case should be dismissed.

If the officer was moving when was his speedometer last calibrated?

Were the speed limits prima facie? or Absolute? If prima facie then prove the speed you were traveling at wasn't unsafe.

ASK questions like: what color clothes was I wearing? did I have any passengers?

What was the weather like? To see how well versed the officer is.

See if you can attend traffic school in exchange for a dismissal of the charge (never bothers your insurance.)

OFTEN the worst part of a ticket is the increase in your insurance. By beating the ticket you don't have to worry about that...

Anyway - there you have it. Good Luck.