Does a Judge have this much power???

[UMSTUDENT]

Traffic violations are just a state's way to tax the middle class. Most people in law enforcement and the judicial system know this, IMHO.

A 200 dollar find doesn't adversely affect someone making 70,000+ thousand dollars a year. Plus, you'll also notice that people who own a BMW, Mercedes, or other sport sedan can generally afford a very nice radar detector. Where I live and go to school commuting is everything. The old adage that speeding tickets effect insurance is generally BS too, because most states have laws limiting the ability of an insurance company to view your driving record. While it is true that speeding may adversely affect the insurance rates on a 2007 BMW 3 series or Porsche 911, these people are also in a better situation to handle the fee.

Talk to any police officer and they'll tell you that speeders control the flow of traffic. If everyone went the same speed from a point of entry on a highway in rush hour, no one would get anywhere. For instance, where I'm at the State Police are one of the only groups that directly benefit from handing out tickets. They have quotas and it directly funds their retirement and pension. Get pulled over by a county mounty and the story is different. AKA more latent enforcement (visible police presence and less actual pulling over of cars). Should there be limits? Absolutely! I just disagree with a jurisdiction that enforces an absolute speed limit without consideration for the overall affect on the people they're ticketing.

The people who need to be ticketed AND arrested are those who drive recklessly, drunk, or high. I've watched someone get pulled over doing 80 while some ass**** in a pickup truck weaves through 4 lanes at 95 MPH. The cop is so busy with his head down the laser sight that he doesn't see it! So the 16 year old driving the teeny bopper Honda Civic gets to go home with a ticket.

I think the judge will look favorably on his position. Most people need to have a license, period. Where I'm at that's 12 points! The business executive whose making 200,000+ with stock options doesn't rely on his driving record. I think a fair and reasonable judge will be able to see a kid who wants to do some good and work, making relative crap, helping people.

[vcfd35s]

Im sorry to have hit some sensitive spots with some people, but nonetheless I thank everyone for taking the time to post.

For those that had a few words to tell me about this is life, you dug your grave, yadda yadda....thats what my parents already told me. I was just seeing if there was anything I could do now to start on my career path. Im sorry if im driven to the point where I wont give up on something...until its physically impossible to move forward. If the judge denies my request, I can say that I tried and accept my fate.

For those that are interested...I spoke with a law clerk today and the judge only accepts pleas in writing. So, I wrote her a two page letter with supporting documents and delievered it to her office today. It is now in the hands of the judge. I shall find out hopefully by the end of this week.

EDIT: Those three tickets were not for speeding. One was for "not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign".

[Michael]

Please let us know what happens.

[MTNMANMEDIC]

VC, don't listen to the "I aint ever made a mistake in my life and therefor I am greater than anyone crowd".

I bet you have stood your punishment and now you would like to make a difference in another person's life ?

Let's see why do the states have driver education and driver remediation courses ?

Could it be that the states realize that people do make mistakes and need a second chance ?

3 speeding tickets showing total disrespect for the law ?

I bet that came from someone with a pocket protector with at least 3 pens, 2 penlights and a belt full of useless crap.

Heya VC, if I ever need a driver are ya available ?

[nremtp]

No that comment came from someone with 5 years experience in frontline EMS with the UK National Health Service.

The poster chose to break the law that means He received tickets. Peer pressure is no excuse for breaking the law! You can't say (like other posters have) other drivers don't like it when you stick to the speed limit.

If someone is prepared to disregard one legislation because it inconveniences them what else are they prepared to disregard? The kid is 20 years old and already has 3 convictions! What else has he done which he hasn't been caught for?

The ones who complain about speeding tickets etc are the ones who do it regularly and whinge the time they are caught. It was the police officer's fault for hiding behind the bridge, it was the other driver's fault for beeping at me. Criminals in general fail to accept responsiblity and in EMS you have to accept responsibility for your actions. Next you will be blaming the patient for being allergic to a drug which you never asked them about!!!

You CHOSE to exceed the speed limit and you got caught. You chose not to excercise appropriate control over your vehicle and stop at the stop sign. People always downplay their convictions but a sworn in police officer has a duty to uphold the law and ensure public safety. I have been to too many road accidents where people have jumped stop signs or crashed their speeding car and KILLED OTHER PEOPLE!

The law is there for a reason, if we all disregarded it simply because it was inconvenient to us then there would be bedlam and anarchy would reign.

I do not have a criminal record, I do not speed (except where I am legally allowed to at work and I still excercise restraint), I do not drive dangerously. I do not like sitting on an open road driving at 70mph but the law says that is as fast as I can go so I restrict my speed despite having a powerful car which can do twice that speed.

Actions have consequences and you are too young to understand that your illegal actions have repurcussions. How many times have I attended a police station to treat an inmate and they whine about how it's the police officer's fault they are in jail? (Not their fault for stealing in the first place!!!)

I suggest you go to College, get an education and let all this fade into the distance. Then maybe when you have something to offer an EMS service they will consider disregarding your convictions. Stop trying to "beat the system".

Honestly what have you got to offer a prospective employer except determination and a dream? Get an education, get on an EMS degree or health degree then your conviction will be far behind you. If you rolled into my office with no qualifications and 3 convictions I would send you right out of the door! Don't forget that your convictions will still show up on a background check even if the judge does give you a break!

Go to College, get some life experience for God's sake you are only 20! I started my career at 19 and I realise now that I was far too young. I am only now learning the skills I need to be an EMT. Skills which you learn as you grow older, wisdom you develop. Nobody can teach you wisdom you develop it.

Remember an intelligent man knows it's stupid to speed, a wise man doesn't do it!

[FormerEMSLT297]

Speaking as a Police Officer the answer to your question is: YES Judges do have that much power, depending on what state or jurisdiction you are in.

Now having said that, You might want to A, Get a Lawyer, B. tell the Judge that you did not fully understand the consequences of pleading guilty, and C. SLOW DOWN, and obey the law.

Considering that the average speeder/traffic violator only gets cuaght 1 out of every 100 or more time speeding, you either have A. very bad luck, or B. you are not a great driver.

The other thing to ask the company is whether they hire EMT's only, If you can't qualify for a driving spot maybe you can just be an EMT. When I worked the privates, back when the earth was still cooling LOL, they had some people on BLS units that weren't authorized to drive, so they worked with someone who liked to drive all the time.

What ever happens, best of luck, slow down, and be safe.

If you dont get the tickets dropped, go work at another job and like someone else sqaid get your B.A. or B.S. in Paramedic or something

[medic82942003]

Good Luck.

[Dustdevil]

VC, don't listen to the "I aint ever made a mistake in my life and therefor I am greater than anyone crowd".

I've been impressed with the quality of your posts until you laid this rotten egg.

Anybody with mature powers of observation would realise that most of this advice comes from people who have been there and made the same mistakes, and are now hoping that some newbie can learn from this experience and avoid the same pitfalls.

You sound like one of these 16 year old kids who gets bent out of shape when he doesn't get the answers he is fishing for. Anybody who came to EMT City to get smoke blown up their arse came to the wrong place. The facts are what we are all about.

Minus 5 for making ASSumptions.

[NREMT-Basic]

Yes, most areas judges can expunge a driving record offense if demonstrated a reason or vaildity to ..

R/r911

The judge makes a determination about whether or not he will drop, amend or decrease the original charge. However, it is the secretary of state drivers division that determines what action will be taken on your driving record. And generally without action on behalf of one of those two parties, tickets dont "fall off" ones record. This is a common misconception and doesnt occur. If you want to find out whats going on, go to your local drivers license bureau, ask to see a hearing officer and request a court purposes driving abstract. Also, if the judge wont order the charges amended in some way so the secretary of state can make a determination of action, you need to learn to slow down...two speeding tickets in one year means you are headed toward a suspended license. Personally, I wouldnt hire ya even if you got those tickets dropped....simply because they dont appear on your record doesnt mean you didnt get them and the fact that you got them reflects on your driving habits. Thats a big, dangerous, expensive piece of vehicle that you are asking this agency to let you be responsible for and the fact that you have two tickets in a year probably doesnt give them the utmost confidence in turning it over to you for 12 or 24 hours at a time. When you start working in any type of public safety or service position, you have to start holding yourself to a higher standard. Its not just you anymore...its the agencys property, your patients, other people on the road....maybe you should go to driving school no matter what the outcome of all of this is...sounds like drivers ed didnt stick the first time.

[vcfd35s]

I am not asking the judge to erase the tickets off my record. I am simply asking for permission to attend traffic school on two of those tickets so the points can be dropped. I was already informed that if permission was granted the tickets will still be on my record and still reported to my insurance but with a DMV point count of zero. I am fine with that, and am not looking for forgiveness for my tickets.