Somewhere above 80 is usually when they might start to care. That’s why, in my experience again, the flow of traffic tends to level off at that speed. That said, I’ve been pulled over by a state trooper and given a written warning (which I didn’t even know cops did around here) for doing 70 in a 55, just outside city limits on I-55. (Somewhere between the intersection of 294 and Harlem.)
Somewhere between the intersections of I-55 and 294 and I-55 and Harlem. I just realized that was a butchered sentence.
My wife disputed an expired registration ticket and the cop showed up in uniform - and a flak jacket. Then took the opportunity to “question” her by asking “How dare you drive in MY city with an unregistered car. Why were you driving it?”
FTR: It was because the dealer never delivered the title and we could not register it properly and had to jump through hoops every 4 weeks to register it in person - and in Colorado you have to go to the county office it is registered in so fuck you if you work 80 miles away from 8 to 5 and can’t take off one day a month to re-register your car.
FTFR: We found out that Colorado is a strict liability state so it doesn’t matter that the seller screwed you over and how impossible the law is.
That’s not how I understand strict liability. It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure the vehicle is registered and insured (if needed)and in good working order. Strict liability doesn’t mean that the person you think screwed up is responsible. If anything I would think strict liability would mean the owner would get the ticket regardless of who is driving. Maybe a lawyer can clarify that.
Doubtful it’s a flak jacket. Probably an outer vest carrier. Smart departments who ignore the idiotic it looks military arguement are going more towards outer vest carriers. It is much more effective at preventing chronic back and hip pain over a 20-30 year career.
I’m a magistrate in a large Ohio city, and handle traffic and criminal cases, among others.
Police fail to appear in court in maybe a quarter to a fifth of all traffic cases here. They are indeed paid to appear, and a few years back there was a big stink about officers’ large OT payments for court appearances, which was becoming a significant budget issue for the city. When officers FTA (fail to appear), city prosecutors used to make notes of that and Police HQ was notified for the officers to get a tongue-lashing, but I think they’ve stopped doing that.
If officers FTA on a minor misdemeanor (no jail time possible) charge, prosecutors never object to a dismissal at the pretrial or trial stage, but if it’s a jailable offense the prosecutor will often ask for a continuance to take further steps to ensure the officer’s attendance. I routinely grant such continuances on first request, but am more skeptical for a second or subsequent request.
If you’re charged here with unsafe motor vehicle (broken windshield, taillight out, headlight out, stuck door, etc.), the charge is usually dismissed at your first or subsequent court appearance if you show proof of having made repairs, such as a mechanic’s receipt or photo.
Objection sustained.
It’s not unusual in my court to get a fine of $50-100, if convicted, but court costs always start at $141 and only go up from there. If you plead not guilty, come back for pretrial or trial, and the case is ultimately dismissed or you’re found not guilty after trial, you owe nothing at all in fine or costs.
Yeah, a Deputy. Had Sheriff plates, but thought wouldn’t help… “piss-ant CO” lol. Damn, in a marked car too? Ouch.
Yeah, I don’t rely on those detectors anyway, I guess I’ll just Henry Hill it and peek to see if anything is flying around. I usually don’t speed often. If I do just in the Margins, up to 5 over or I keep with traffic if I am. Do they look for those going 10+ over or something like that?
Sorry to pester you with questions, just curious.
You’re right. That is why the judge upheld the ticket despite all of the obstacles place in our way to keep it registered.
It’s merely a question of relative rewards. Since most people who get tickets don’t contest them, the state (county, city, whatever) benefits by the forfeit. Better odds (for the state) than Vegas. What the state pays officers to write tickets is less than the rewards.
When I’ve been in court in Illinois, the judges always addressed them as “Sheriff.” Basically, the Sheriff’s office staffs the court building and there is a person in a Sheriff’s uniform with a gun and badge working in every court room. The judge always says “hand your documents to the Sheriff” or “Sheriff Jones, please show the jury to their quarters,” etc. The word “deputy” never got used.
I thought that was kind of weird, but all I know is from old TV shows where the head of the department was called “Sheriff” and everyone else was called “Deputy” (Deputy Dog!). I meant to ask the Sheriff/Deputy about that when we were sitting around, but never remembered.
Sheriff Taylor and Deputy Fife.
It is weird. The Sheriff is [almost] always an elected constitutional office and those who work for/under him or her are Sheriff Deputies or Sheriff Officers. Referring to them as just Sheriff is disrespect to the actual Sheriff.
But I never argue with a judge. 
Depends on the jurisdiction. What the prosecutor will charge and what a judge will convict at. During my first career I was a Dep for 25 years, (a little over 19 on the road, 4 in the bureau and about 2 in the jail). Our tickets were run through circuit court and it was well known that judges wouldn’t convict for anything less than 13 over. After I retired I started a 2nd career with another agency. Our tickets go through muni court and the judges there will convict at 11 over.
When the max speed limit on our freeways was 65 counties and State Patrol weren’t tagging anyone in that zone until they were going at least 80. Now that the max limit is 70 nobody gets a citation in that limit zone unless they are going at least
80. Yep. Nothings changed. .
Fascinating stuff, thanks for sharing!
Now it makes sense why everyone drives 10 over at all times. Lol.
All that being said, its strange how rarely I see city cops pull people over, i suppose a lot is reliance on red light cameras and speed trap cams. On highways, all the time.
Of course, most of the speed cites that go through municipal court are for exceeding on lower limit city streets, not highways. That’s an explanation for the lower tolerances by muni judges.
Both are illegal in Wisconsin. Thank gwad. There has been a push recently to legalize red light cameras but so far the legislature has wisely resisted introducing us to that nightmare.