How do I dispute a traffic ticket for loud music?
Here's the story:
Around 7:30pm I was driving in a residential area from the corner store with my two nephews, ages 13 and 14, and my daughter 2yrs. of age and son 4mths. of age. As always I had my radio on. The only thing different I did that night was rolled all my windows down because it was very hot inside my car and outside had a nice breeze. Never do I play my radio at a high volume because I need to hear if there's anything wrong with my kids or if my cell phone rings. I usually have my radio turned down real low just enough for me to hear it. That night one of my nephews turned my radio up to hear a favorite song of his. I told him not to turn it up too loud and he did as I asked of him. By that time I just made a complete stop at a stop sign to make a right turn. As I made the right-turn and drove a few feet down a police car was parked at the police station. The officer in the car turned her lights on and pulled my over. I thought maybe I didn't make the proper stop at the stop sign or I was speeding or something because I'm from the area I wasn't sure of the speed limit. I didn't think I was speeding or ran the stop sign. I asked her was there anything wrong? The officer said my music was loud. Now I know my music wasn't loud at all but I didn't want to argue with her. So I gave her my DL. She came back to my car and asked my to follow her back to the police station on the next block. I was puzzled but I did anyway. At the police station she wrote me up a ticket for loud music and then asks me to pay her $350 right there on-the-spot because I was an out of Towner. I told her I don't have that kind of money on me. Then she tried to arrest me with my kids and nephews there. She said either I pay her now, call a bails bondsman, go to jail, or she confiscate my DL until my court date. She said those were my only choices. I said to her, If I can't pay you for the ticket, then I can't pay for a bails man. I can't go to jail because I have my family with me and there is no one to take them for me. She said well I will keep your DL until you pay the ticket. I told her I want to dispute the ticket and she said to me "For what? You can't dispute it because there's nothing to dispute." So, I told the reason I want to dispute and she just said "I hope you know you can't drive without your DL." I left the station with the ticket she gave me. On the ticket she spelled my Last name and she didn't check the box that said she took my DL as for a security deposit. Also, on the back of the ticket it reads I am not to pay any officers of the law or the officer who gave me the ticket. It says to pay the court only and that the ticket serves as a valid DL until 30 days.
May some one tell if I am able to dispute this and how?
Thank you,
erfairley
Here's the story:
Around 7:30pm I was driving in a residential area from the corner store with my two nephews, ages 13 and 14, and my daughter 2yrs. of age and son 4mths. of age. As always I had my radio on. The only thing different I did that night was rolled all my windows down because it was very hot inside my car and outside had a nice breeze. Never do I play my radio at a high volume because I need to hear if there's anything wrong with my kids or if my cell phone rings. I usually have my radio turned down real low just enough for me to hear it. That night one of my nephews turned my radio up to hear a favorite song of his. I told him not to turn it up too loud and he did as I asked of him. By that time I just made a complete stop at a stop sign to make a right turn. As I made the right-turn and drove a few feet down a police car was parked at the police station. The officer in the car turned her lights on and pulled my over. I thought maybe I didn't make the proper stop at the stop sign or I was speeding or something because I'm from the area I wasn't sure of the speed limit. I didn't think I was speeding or ran the stop sign. I asked her was there anything wrong? The officer said my music was loud. Now I know my music wasn't loud at all but I didn't want to argue with her. So I gave her my DL. She came back to my car and asked my to follow her back to the police station on the next block. I was puzzled but I did anyway. At the police station she wrote me up a ticket for loud music and then asks me to pay her $350 right there on-the-spot because I was an out of Towner. I told her I don't have that kind of money on me. Then she tried to arrest me with my kids and nephews there. She said either I pay her now, call a bails bondsman, go to jail, or she confiscate my DL until my court date. She said those were my only choices. I said to her, If I can't pay you for the ticket, then I can't pay for a bails man. I can't go to jail because I have my family with me and there is no one to take them for me. She said well I will keep your DL until you pay the ticket. I told her I want to dispute the ticket and she said to me "For what? You can't dispute it because there's nothing to dispute." So, I told the reason I want to dispute and she just said "I hope you know you can't drive without your DL." I left the station with the ticket she gave me. On the ticket she spelled my Last name and she didn't check the box that said she took my DL as for a security deposit. Also, on the back of the ticket it reads I am not to pay any officers of the law or the officer who gave me the ticket. It says to pay the court only and that the ticket serves as a valid DL until 30 days.
May some one tell if I am able to dispute this and how?
Thank you,
erfairley