If you want the best possible outcome for your traffic or speeding ticket in King, Snohomish, or Pierce County, I suggest that you hire a metro Seattle traffic attorney who is familiar with technicalities (AKA ways to get your traffic ticket dismissed without having to argue what actually happened on the day you received it). On numerous occasions, I have seen motorists who have chosen to represent themselves lose their hearings, incur fines, or be required to come back to court simply because they are not familiar with all of the intricacies of the court’s rules and procedures.
Now-on to discovery. Motorists who get traffic or speeding tickets in Washington can receive discovery if they follow the proper procedure (the court clerk can provide specific information on how to receive discovery if you chose to do this yourself). What is discovery? It is the evidence the court intends to present against you. When you receive a traffic ticket, you typically get what experienced traffic lawyers call the front of the ticket. However this information is usually not enough for the court to find that you committed the traffic infraction. The back of the ticket is the officer’s sworn statement of what actually happened during the traffic stop. In conjunction with the front of the citation, the officer’s statement is what the judge or prosecutor relies on in making the case against you.
Why do Washington traffic attorneys request discovery? Because, simply asking for it increases the probability of dismissal. For example, if a motorist or a metro Seattle traffic lawyer makes a timely discovery request according to the court’s rules and subsequently does not receive discovery, he or she can move to have the officer’s statement suppressed and in all likelihood the case will be dismissed for lack of evidence.
Discovery also allows attorneys to prepare several motions to dismiss ahead of time which is a huge advantage. Motorists who represent themselves are often blind-sided when they see the evidence against them for the first time minutes before their hearing.
Here is just one example of how my discovery request worked to the advantage of one of my clients in King County District Court in Burien. I received discovery, but the officer’s affidavit was essentially a blank page. Even though the judge informed me that her documents actually contained another page with all of the officer’s details, my motion to suppress and dismiss was granted on the grounds that the prosecution did not provide me with complete discovery. Another victory!
If you are the do it yourself type, of course you could request discovery yourself and take a chance. However, what I described is just one of the numerous technicalities that a trained speeding ticket lawyer can take advantage of to get your case dismissed or reduced to a non-moving violation
As an experienced traffic ticket attorney, my client’s metro Seattle traffic tickets often are dismissed. If your traffic ticket is not dismissed, the Law Offices of Dan Samas can often arrange for a reduction to a non-moving violation so the ticket will not increase your insurance rates.
Dan Samas has been an attorney since 1995 and has represented thousands of motorists in traffic ticket cases. He has helped Metro Seattle drivers avoid auto insurance premium increases, missed work, and travel expenses since they don’t have to go to court themselves.
All information contained herein is provided for the purpose of providing basic information only and should not be construed as formal legal advice. The authors disclaim any and all liability resulting from reliance upon such information. You are strongly encouraged to seek professional legal advice before relying upon any of the information contained herein. Legal advice should be sought directly from a properly retained lawyer or attorney. Each situation is different, so prior results should not create an expectation of the results of your case. We do not guarantee a specific result in any case. Unless otherwise stated, the information on this site is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.