How do U deal with speeding tix in Cook County, IL these days?
Sep 27, 2006, 9:03 am
#1
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How do U deal with speeding tix in Cook County, IL these days?
I suppose this could arguably be OMNI territory, but I hope that you all will indulge me.
Growing up in Chicago it seemed like there were a couple of pretty well-"known" precepts about getting speeding tickets (notwithstanding claims of the Outer Drive remaining the world's last civilized outpost of collective bargaining...):
Does anyone know if this kind of thing is still true, and applies across Cook County?
My best friend just got a ticket in Oak Park. Here's his description:
What's the best way to deal with such things these days? Plead Guilty? Not Guilty?
Growing up in Chicago it seemed like there were a couple of pretty well-"known" precepts about getting speeding tickets (notwithstanding claims of the Outer Drive remaining the world's last civilized outpost of collective bargaining...):
Does anyone know if this kind of thing is still true, and applies across Cook County?
My best friend just got a ticket in Oak Park. Here's his description:
Problem: 31mph in a 20mph zone. Ridgeland Avenue in Oak Park. Actually it’s a 30mph zone normally, and it is one of the major north south thoroughfares through OP. 20mph when skool kids are out. OOOPS! $75 ticket, which may be doubled since it’s a school zone. Also, I understand that since it’s a school violation I cant just plead guilty by mail. I have to go to court in Melrose Park and be tarred and feathered.
Sep 27, 2006, 3:30 pm
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It's been a few years, but I believe the procedure is still that you show up and tell the baliff what you intend to plead.
If you plea out that way then you can get supervision. But if the cop or the attorney is not there, you don't actually plead guilty until you get in front of the judge. That happened to me once - the Evanston city attorney didn't show, and the judge got REAL p-d off
and told everybody that even though they had told the bailiff that they planned on pleading gulity, it wasn't official yet and that they had the right to plead not guilty. Then he started calling people rapid-fire and started outright dismissing charges. 
If you plea out that way then you can get supervision. But if the cop or the attorney is not there, you don't actually plead guilty until you get in front of the judge. That happened to me once - the Evanston city attorney didn't show, and the judge got REAL p-d off
and told everybody that even though they had told the bailiff that they planned on pleading gulity, it wasn't official yet and that they had the right to plead not guilty. Then he started calling people rapid-fire and started outright dismissing charges.
Sep 27, 2006, 4:25 pm
#4
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Originally Posted by ElmhurstNick
If you plea out that way then you can get supervision.
Next best bet is traffic school if you don't have time to go to court, simply follow instructions on evenlope that came with the ticket. Besides attending classes, they have internet traffic school available.
On a side note, I got a speeding ticket in a small town in Indiana and did not have time to go to the trial date. I hired a local attorney who praticed at that court to appear for me. Forget how much I paid but the attorney was able to get a supervision deal for me and no ticket on the record. ^
Good luck.
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Sep 27, 2006, 5:24 pm
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This is the kicker in my friend's case, though:
I think he must mean Maywood. In any case, he's GOT to report.
Uh Oh. I just found this on the Circuit Court of Cook County website...doesn't seem to bode well...
Also, I understand that since it’s a school violation I cant just plead guilty by mail. I have to go to court in Melrose Park and be tarred and feathered.
Uh Oh. I just found this on the Circuit Court of Cook County website...doesn't seem to bode well...
Many people who receive a traffic ticket come to court and request an order of supervision. This disposition is authorized in most traffic violations that are punishable by fine only. However, judges may not grant supervision in the following cases:
A person placed on supervision is under the court's jurisdiction for four months. If no further violations are brought to the court's attention during that time, the case will be dismissed and the defendant discharged. However, if the court is notified of a violation within this time, a hearing will be scheduled and the violator notified. At the hearing, if the prosecutor proves that the violation occurred, the court can impose any sanction for the offense that the law allows.
In the past, orders of supervision were not reported to the Illinois Secretary of State. However, effective October 1, 2000, the Clerk of the Circuit Court is required by law to report all dispositions of supervision to the Illinois Secretary of State. These reports are confidential and can only be used to provide the court, law enforcement agencies and the Illinois Secretary of State with information. This information cannot be used to suspend or revoke driving privileges or be made available to insurance companies.
Does not look good...
A person placed on supervision is under the court's jurisdiction for four months. If no further violations are brought to the court's attention during that time, the case will be dismissed and the defendant discharged. However, if the court is notified of a violation within this time, a hearing will be scheduled and the violator notified. At the hearing, if the prosecutor proves that the violation occurred, the court can impose any sanction for the offense that the law allows.
In the past, orders of supervision were not reported to the Illinois Secretary of State. However, effective October 1, 2000, the Clerk of the Circuit Court is required by law to report all dispositions of supervision to the Illinois Secretary of State. These reports are confidential and can only be used to provide the court, law enforcement agencies and the Illinois Secretary of State with information. This information cannot be used to suspend or revoke driving privileges or be made available to insurance companies.
Sep 27, 2006, 5:28 pm
#7
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Originally Posted by tev9999
Just change your address to 1060 West Addison and forget about it.
I'm just tellin' you right NOW, I am NOT changing it to 333 W. 35th.
That said, I HATE Illinois Nazis, but I'm not too stressed about it given that the new Oldsmobiles are in early this year.
Sep 27, 2006, 6:55 pm
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How did you find a street in Cook County that wasn't so congested with bumper-to-bumper traffic 24x7 that you were capable of exceeding the speed limit?
I haven't managed that in five or six years (when I got caught in an industrial stretch on Howard Street going 10 over the limit, paid the fine...)
I haven't managed that in five or six years (when I got caught in an industrial stretch on Howard Street going 10 over the limit, paid the fine...)
Sep 27, 2006, 11:53 pm
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Originally Posted by Gargoyle
How did you find a street in Cook County that wasn't so congested with bumper-to-bumper traffic 24x7 that you were capable of exceeding the speed limit?
I haven't managed that in five or six years (when I got caught in an industrial stretch on Howard Street going 10 over the limit, paid the fine...)
I haven't managed that in five or six years (when I got caught in an industrial stretch on Howard Street going 10 over the limit, paid the fine...)
Sep 28, 2006, 1:12 am
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A friend of mine was in Chicago traffic court a few years back. As was normal then, the judge said to a group of the people there: "okay, everybody, here's the deal: you can go watch the safe driving video, and we'll expunge the ticket from your record as long as you don't do it again within X months." There's this pause. Then this guy pipes up "Judge, I already saw the video!"
The judge got this disgusted look and told him just to go watch the video--or so I heard.
-Hayden
The judge got this disgusted look and told him just to go watch the video--or so I heard.
-Hayden
Sep 28, 2006, 1:16 pm
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Originally Posted by Jakebeth
In the past, orders of supervision were not reported to the Illinois Secretary of State. However, effective October 1, 2000, the Clerk of the Circuit Court is required by law to report all dispositions of supervision to the Illinois Secretary of State. These reports are confidential and can only be used to provide the court, law enforcement agencies and the Illinois Secretary of State with information. This information cannot be used to suspend or revoke driving privileges or be made available to insurance companies.
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Sep 28, 2006, 7:25 pm
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Originally Posted by UNITED959
You can do traffic school online...it's not that bad.
(I should know, I have a Ph.D. in it. )
(I should know, I have a Ph.D. in it.
)
Sep 28, 2006, 10:52 pm
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Originally Posted by milepig
Mrs. Milepig had a ticket recently and did the online school, said it was a hoot.