If you've been caught for speeding, you may feel as though it's not worthwhile to attempt to beat the case. The police officer's use of a radar gun, it can seem, can be irrefutable evidence. What you might not know, though, is that an experienced traffic ticket attorney can successfully defend you against a speeding ticket by questioning the validity of the radar gun. It's a good idea to discuss your case with an attorney and prepare to mount a defense. Here are some topics that your traffic attorney may cover in court to work on making the radar gun results invalid.
Training
Police officers need to have extensive and formal training to be able to successfully operate a radar gun. Your attorney will immediately begin to question whether the officer who used the gun and then stopped you was trained in this manner. The attorney will ask a series of questions that will require the officer to clearly explain the degree to which he or she was trained on the use of a radar gun, and may look for statements that indicate the officer isn't as familiar with this device as he or she indicates. If the attorney can cast doubt on the officer's training, and thus his or her competency with the gun, this will help your case.
Previous Reversals
You can also expect your traffic attorney to ask whether the police officer has had previous speeding ticket cases reversed because of issues with the radar gun. This puts the officer in a difficult position, because he or she must not commit perjury in court, but knows that an admission may help your case. For example, if the officer admits that he or she has had two speeding ticket cases dismissed in the last eight months because of issues with the radar gun, your attorney will quickly point out that a specific issue — either the officer's ability to use the gun or the gun itself — should make your ticket invalid.
Frequency Of Bad Readings
Your attorney will also inquire about how often the police officer has experienced bad readings with the gun. These aren't necessarily related to cases that have gone to court, but relate more to the officer's everyday use of this device. For example, the attorney will ask if the officer has ever used the gun and been certain that it had a bad reading — perhaps aiming it at a motorist who was obviously speeding, but the gun registering a number that was below the speed limit. If the officer makes such an admission, your legal representative will suggest that the court dismisses the charge against you because the radar gun is not trustworthy.
For more information, talk to a local traffic violation attorney.
