Did you receive a traffic ticket for passing a school bus? Did you get a school bus camera ticket under RCW 46.61.370 or RCW 46.63.180? If you have been ticketed by a school bus camera in Washington there may be a valid defense available to you. You can get this ticket dismissed.
A school bus camera ticket can be expensive. These tickets can really hurt your wallet. If you can get them dismissed – great! The good news is that they are non-moving violations. This means that they will NOT be reported to insurance. Therefore, they will not increase your insurance rates significantly.
School bus camera tickets are issued to the registered owner (or owners if there are several persons on the title) of the vehicle. This means that even if someone else was driving your car you could receive a school bus camera ticket in the mail. That situation happens frequently. A lawyer can help you prepare these documents that might help you get this ticket dismissed. Call 206-880-3614.
The Driver of the Vehicle Is Important to the Outcome of the Case
If you were driving the vehicle, you can still prevail on this ticket. There may be a number of problems with the process by which the ticket was issued. There may be some problems in the officer’s report that you can use to cast doubt on the officer’s investigation. There may be a due process problem with issuing a ticket to the registered owner rather than the individual who was driving.
These are complicated issues a good traffic attorney should be aware of. They can be difficult to argue if you don’t have a good familiarity with the case law, the rules of evidence, and the Washington infraction rules of limited jurisdiction.
Different judges have different interpretations of the law. A good attorney should know whether a judge will entertain these arguments. What wins a case in one county or city may not work in another county or city. Ultimately, the law is made up of words – and judges are just people interpreting those words – so, different judges can interpret the law differently. An attorney who knows the court and the judge will understand what arguments are likely to succeed.
It is always advisable to seek the advice of an attorney before making a decision on your case. You may be unaware of the long-term implication a case might have. It is better to know your options and the risks associated with each option before going forward.
Call my office at 206-880-3614 for a free strategy session.
How to Beat a School Bus Camera Ticket in Washington
- Challenge the procedure
- Check the video to see whether you were passing the bus or not
- Determine whether you were the driver
- Speak to an attorney
If you want to contest a traffic ticket you can request a contested hearing. A judge will hear your case. A judge will hear the prosecutor’s case against you. The judge will then decide whether you committed the traffic infraction or not.
It is possible to beat a traffic ticket in WA. There are a number of reason why a traffic ticket can get dismissed. The reasons vary on a case by case basis. Getting a “no insurance” ticket dismissed may require a different process than getting an “expired registration” ticket dismissed. While getting a ticket dismissed is great, avoiding getting a speeding ticket in the first place will ensure your insurance rates do not skyrocket.
If you get a speeding ticket, an HOV ticket, a work zone or construction zone ticket, no insurance ticket, speed too fast for conditions, cell phone ticket, school bus camera ticket, fail to obey traffic signal or traffic control device, or other infraction, you should contact an attorney to try to get that ticket off your record.
A traffic ticket is not a criminal offense.
You can get on a payment plan for a traffic ticket. In most cases you can pay that traffic ticket online.