5 Ways to an Illegal Ticket

If you live around the University of Washington you have undoubted stumbled upon the intersection of Northeast 45th and Union Bay Pl. NE. If you have experienced it, it is a five way boat to confusion. With lights facing every direction and dotted lines criss-crossing, at times it seems as if you’re driving through an Escher painting.

Municipal Cash Cow

Placed outside of the intersection the city of Seattle has cruelly placed a series of DOT cameras. These camera’s dispense on average 16 tickets a day at $124 per ticket for various cars speeding or running red lights. That comes to about ¾ of a million dollars in one intersection.

Here’s the problem: the cameras have been deemed illegal, but they’re still dispensing tickets.

The Loophole

Judge Francis deVilla has deemed the cameras illegal because of the provision stated in the Washington State Legislature’s RCW 46.63.170 (b) which clearly states:

Use of automated traffic safety cameras is restricted to two-arterial intersections, railroad crossings, and school speed zones only.

Judge deVilla’s ruling could put into question all current DOT cameras and the tickets associated with them.

The Case

This ruling is based on a case brought this week before Seattle Municipal Traffic Court. The car in question was clearly shown in the camera video to be speeding through a red light, as shown in this King 5 local news report of the story.

Another traffic court judge, Adam Eisenberg, has also been known to have dismissed a ticket dispensed at the intersection. The city’s attorney’s office disagrees with the ruling and believes that the tickets are legal and vows to fight each challenge that comes through the court. Perhaps because very few people have the time or willingness to challenge the ticket.

If you feel that you have been unfairly cited or are in need of legal council for a vehicle related infraction, call Phillips Webster today to find out your legal options.

Written by Jeremy Cairns