HOT TIP: Traffic Ticket Trial...
Here's a hot tip you can use when you challenge a traffic ticket, and take it to trial:
When the officer begins to read from his report, object and request that the judge "admonish the officer not to read from his police incident report, as it is hearsay."
Even in a traffic ticket trial, where people commonly represent themselves, the law of evidence applies. If the officer can't testify from memory about the event, you have a strong chance of beating the ticket, because there usually is no physical evidence in a traffic infraction trial, just testimony from the officer.
If the officer can't remember, then the state will have a hard time meeting its burden of proof, which would make you "not quilty."
When the officer begins to read from his report, object and request that the judge "admonish the officer not to read from his police incident report, as it is hearsay."
Even in a traffic ticket trial, where people commonly represent themselves, the law of evidence applies. If the officer can't testify from memory about the event, you have a strong chance of beating the ticket, because there usually is no physical evidence in a traffic infraction trial, just testimony from the officer.
If the officer can't remember, then the state will have a hard time meeting its burden of proof, which would make you "not quilty."