Here's Your Ticket. What's Your Hurry?

By Robert Wilonsky Tue., Jun. 16 2009 at 10:35 AM

Categories: Crime

From the muni court efficiency study ...

As mentioned yesterday, the Dallas Municipal Court efficiency study's on the agenda for tomorrow's council briefing; it actually makes its bow this afternoon at 2 during the Legislative Ad Hoc Committee meeting. And, yes, right at the top of the briefing doc, First Assistant City Manager Ryan Evans is upfront about the intentions of the study, which is being assembled by a team of a dozen city officials ranging from Judge Daniel Solis to Dallas police higher-ups and City Attorney's Office prosecutors. Writes Evans, improvements are "expected to provide better customer service to our citizens and bring additional revenue to the general fund." Because, as you can see at top, the longer the city waits, the less the city makes.

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RE: when you have the right to an attorney, I think you mean "Gideon v. Wainwright," not "Miranda v. Arizona," and the right to APPOINTED counsel only attaches if you face imprisonment as PUNISHMENT, not for failure to pay. "Fine only" offenses don't count and the Supreme Court never said otherwise. Neither does the Constitution, for that matter. While you have the constitutional right to a lawyer as an accused, the 6th amendment never says the taxpayers have to pick up the tab. And that is AMENDMENT 6, not 5, 3 or 11. Feel free to READ it. I think they keep it, and the text of Gideon (and Miranda, as well) somewhere on the internets these days.
Chickenpants, that smell is your head up your ass.
A guy who capitalizes every other word arguing with Toots. Boy there's a Mensa meeting.
This opens up a larger issue; swift justice delayed being genuine justice denied. When I met the city in court in 2006, it was 2 1/2 years after the event in question. That meant a part of my life was held hostage without recourse, no way to hasten the process which, when finally tried, was over in my favor in under two days. Another friend who, in his case was accused falsely of inappropriately touching a 3rd grade student....and subsequently likewise acquitted in a jury trial....his case was over 3 years from the accusation to the actual courtroom; unable to work, ruined. How does he get his three years back?
Why waste your time posting this stuff. You don't want to pay money for fines then OBEY traffic laws. Speed traps won't matter.
OK Toots and sanguine. When the Police quit setting up TRAPS to catch people maybe I will. And let me say I dont speed, run into people & espically dont Drink & Drive as you alude to. You are not looking deep enough into the REAL PROBLEM. They claim these violations are Criminal, but not quite criminal. Dont believe me, ask for a COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY & you will be told you are not allowed one in these type of case. Excuse me, but I believe the Ariz vs Miranda decision declared everyone accused of a CRIMINAL ACT is entitled to an attorney. Then there excuse is you are not entitled because the only punishment is a FINE. Well what happens if you dont pay. THey LOCK YOU UP taking away your freedom. Guess that doesnt count. I think you could call that DEBTORS PRISON. But only for Govt EXTORTION.
Uncle, my uncle, thank you for having a spine.
What a bunch of crap, "Uncle". Climb down from your crazy horse and get a grip. Paying fines aren't taxes - they are FINES! For THINGS YOU DID WRONG! Don't want to pay the "tax"? Then don't speed. Don't run into someone. Don't drive drunk. Wear a seatbelt. Sheesh!
And even more proof it is about the $$$. Quit giving in to this EXTORTION. Demand a JURY TRIAL on every ticket you may get. Clog up the court system by demanding your rights to a FAIR JURY TRIAL. Demand they prove that you are guilty. Then you can take satisfaction in any $$$ they get from you, they will have spent more collecting it. Traffic Tickets are nothing more than a EXTORTION TAX. Fight the System like the Founding Fathers of this country did. If they hadnt, we would be paying homage to England today. ((God save the Queen))
It's very simple folks. Of course the tickets are a revenue for the city.....DUH! If you don't want to give up the cash to them then OBEY traffic laws. Slow down, save a life.
So even on a 'rocket docket', the city averages less than $15 a ticket? Time to stop with the traffic tickets and have cops deliver pizzas!