Comments on: Ticketed? Stall ’em

By: Harley P

Harley P — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:12:00 +0000

Absolutely ethical. Anything that doesn’t break a rule is “ethical.” Do what you can because they sure as Hell will.

By: Todd Rogers

Todd Rogers — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:36:07 +0000

Would it be unethical for a cop to plant evidence on a suspect he knew to be guilty? I mean, no epistemic questions about it…guilty…maybe this should be at Point of Law, but ever since I watched L.A. Confidential I’ve always wondered about this.

By: Dave D

Dave D — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:43:11 +0000

As a layman I found with my last 2 tickets that getting every continuance I could and then demanding a jury trial made them go away. Not ethical you say? Well when the
cops start acting ethically so will I. I was convicted
on a ticket I was totally innocent of because the
cop told a lie and swore to it. I’m playing by their
rules from now on.

By: William Nuesslein

William Nuesslein — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:55:48 +0000

A friend of my pleaded guilty to speeding and was willing, if not happy, to pay a fine. Yes he broke the law, but he in no way was a reckless driver. What he did not understand was that his speeding was in a school zone where the speed limit was very low. Charles Manson got a better deal than this poor guy. In his case, he was underlawyered!

It is ethical to use continuances to get the best deal for a client. Lawyers have a lot of discretion in defense strategy. Generally a good faith conversation with a prosecutor will do the trick as far a justice is concerned. Judges and prosecutors have their discretions too. A good judge will throw the book against those who abuse the system.

By: Todd Rogers

Todd Rogers — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 03:12:45 +0000

Where is Euthyphro when you need him? Thank you for the sobering disappointment.

By: gitarcarver

gitarcarver — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 01:53:36 +0000

And how are you defining ethical and good cause? ethical: being in accordance with the rules or standards for right conduct or practice, good cause: is not delaying simply for the sake of delay in order to clog up the system, wasting time and resources.

By: Todd Rogers

Todd Rogers — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 01:37:58 +0000

Many a defendant wish such a deal was that easy. But, alas, in one corner we have a witness who is a sworn officer, credible but also fallible. In the other corner, John Doe Driver. And how are you defining ethical and good cause?

By: Doug

Doug — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 21:48:02 +0000

1. Its not ethical to tell the defendant to request a continuance without a good cause.
2. the response by todd rogers is just a delay tactic. Make a deal with the prosecuting attorney and get it over with.

By: Todd Rogers

Todd Rogers — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:32:49 +0000

Let me propose a hypothetical to Walter’s question: What if the defendant was mistakenly ticketed; say two cars were travelling closely. One fast-moving car had just passed a slow-moving car and the issuing officer erroneously ticketed the vehicle which was not breaking the law. Would such tactics be justified?