# Traffic Tickets vs. Criminal Charges

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traffic-tickets-vs-criminal-charges/739756>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 8, 2015, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traffic-tickets-vs-criminal-charges/739756 "2015-12-08T00:31:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 13

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**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traffic-tickets-vs-criminal-charges/739756/13 "2015-12-08T03:37:47Z")

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> [@John\_DiFool](#):
>
> It is possible to subpoena when the equipment was last tested and calibrated, and base your case on that, if it hadn’t been recalibrated recently.

It’s also possible for the police department to _totally ignore_ that subpoena and come to court empty-handed, and for the judge to tell the defendant: “I don’t give a shit about all your subpoenas! Guilty as charged!”

I witnessed that one day in a case I observed. It did seem (to me) that the defense lawyer was just on a wild fishing expedition, he had subpoenaed so much stuff, and the judge wasn’t buying it.

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