Disorderly Conduct - plead not guilty

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th1alb

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i am getting a huge fine for pretty much nothing, here is the storry:

i am dropping my little brother off at the amusement park where he works at. the speed-limit is 10mph, i might have been a little over that but not much (i drove normal lets put it that way).

right before i let him out of the car i make a sharp turn and hit the brake (so i would be in a nice angle to let him out of the car).

the parkmanager called the police on me and told me that i would have to wait for them.

he and 2 couples (which would make 5 witnesses) seen me at a "high rate of speed" doing "donuts".
(thats what the park-manager said)

everything was on gravel too, so when ever i hit the brakes the car span just a little bit, it was maybe 45° or less.

also i blew up dust driving over the gravel (thats what they said).

so now i will have a big fine, somewhere from 100 to 300$
and i didnt even do anything wrong in my eyes.

here are my questions:
--------------------------------
should i plead not guilty and go to a hearing?

if yes, should i have my brother and my self testify that i was not going over 10mph?

will that be stronger evidence then 5 people that dont have radar-guns saying i was going 4 miles faster?

the dust blows up in the air by every car, its gravel for god sake.

if i say i accidently slipped on the gravel (it happend twice) and they say i did spin-outs.

how are my chances of getting out of that disorderly conduct?
any advice?

i really really apriciate any help!

(here is a picture of the citation: http://th1alb.ath.cx:81/citation.jpg)
 
Hm, there are some details left out which might be interesting: -where were the witnesses? How far away from the car?

If you have spun around 45 degrees, that is quite a lot. If you drive a car with less than 10mph the car should not spin at all even on gravel, it might slide a foot or two but should not spin. This is more indicative of higher speed.

Now you have not been charged with speeding but with recklessly creating a hazardous or physically offensive condition. So the speed limit here is really not very important, you can commit that offense also with speed which is within the limit. That is why it would be interesting to know how far the witnesses were away. If there is a way to construe it that they might have been harmed by your spinning car then you probably would not have this ticket dismissed.

Anyway, this can go either way. I can see a judge agree with the summons and convict you and I can see a judge think, oh well, this is exaggerated and dismiss it.

Of course what you always can do is plead not guilty, go to court and hope that the witnesses won't show up.
 
the witnesses were in a pavillion maybe 50 to 100 feet away.

if i plead not guilty, i still pay the fine up front right?
if i loose the case, the money i payed will go towards my fine right?
the judge might make the fine bigger then it was before on the citation right?
if i win, the i will get the fine refund right?

so if all this is right, i have nothing to loose when pleading not guilty?

will der be court costs? maybe i have a missunderstanding what the hearing is.
i just want to give it a shot.

thank you very much for your help in this

PS: will this disorderly conduct be on my police record?
could i go to jail for that? (im really ancious about this whole thing)
 
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Sounds to me like you were horsing around so it will probably sound the same to the judge.

First step to becoming an adult is taking responsibility for your actions. (Yea, many adults haven't made it there yet, this could be your chance.)

Wouldn't hurt to try going back and apologizing to the park owner. Tell him you are very sorry, learned a good lesson and it won't happen again. Even offer to help pick up trash, paint or something if he'll drop the charge.

If not, they have to prove you were careless which might be difficult depending on how you handle yourself in front of a judge.

You have nothing to loose pleading not guilty, DA might offer a plea to a lessor offense.

Be careful, could have been little kids running around while you were playing Dukes of Hazard.
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that is true, thats what the park owner said. but as my common sense i did not put anybody in danger.

i will plead not guilty and i will deny everything.

if he sais i did a donut then i will tell the judge that i didnt do it.

i should be inocent unless prooven otherwise.

i will just pray to god that those witnesses wont show up.
but if, is there a website or tips or anything on how to represent/defend my self infront of the judge?
 
If you are a minor then you will have to have one of your parents in court with you. It is unlikely that any of the witnesses will show so you can make a motion for dismissal and it should be granted. The officer cannot testify since he did not actually see anything.

You should attend the court on another date to see how things are handled with your specific judge.
 
i am not a minor, i am 21 years old.

i would like to point out a view things that have been told me by a different forum.

i could sue the park for bateing me and false acusement.
also since the park-manager forced me to stay against my will i could press kidnaping charges.

does that sound like a good idea?
 
wow what a great answer, i didnt say i belived in it.
i asked for some at least half-way professional advice.
 
Originally posted by th1alb
i am not a minor, i am 21 years old.

i would like to point out a view things that have been told me by a different forum.

i could sue the park for bateing me and false acusement.
also since the park-manager forced me to stay against my will i could press kidnaping charges.

does that sound like a good idea?

hm, somehow I have the feeling you haven't gotten the message yet. If you walk into the courtroom with such an attitude as you display here, the judge will be very happy.

It is not the park manager or the witnesses who have done anything wrong, it was you who broke the law.
 
This, ladies and gents, is why our society is so litigious.

One, you have an accuser who may be blowing something out of proportion, and basically placed you under a citizen's arrest until the police arrived.

Two, you have the accused thinking he should press charges for kidnapping and other nonsense which is making a mountain out of another molehill.

Just go to court and plead not guilty. The burden of proof is on the accuser and it sounds like the park manager will have a hard time proving you did what he says you did. If you spun 45 degrees on gravel (your own admission), you certainly weren't going 10 MPH. Next time, adhere to the limit and don't cut your wheel.
 
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