Washington State Appeals Court Rules Automated Camera Tickets Can No Longer Be Challenged

Washington state's second-highest court ended the year denying the right of motorists to challenge an unfair or unlawful ruling from a superior court judge. The Court of Appeals declared last Tuesday that it would not hear any appeals for infractions -- not even from city governments.

That came as bad news for the city of Spokane which had sought to overturn a Spokane County Superior Court decision throwing out red light camera tickets as unlawful. Judge Jerome Leveque examined the $124 citations that Arizona-based American Traffic Solutions (ATS) mailed to registered vehicle owners Mark Wardrop, Jennifer Lee, and Susan Annechiarico. He noted that state law requires such legal accusations to be certified true under the penalty of perjury under a signature that "states the date and place of its execution." The red light camera tickets indicated a police officer signed the citation in Spokane, but they were actually "signed" electronically by ATS in Arizona. Judge Leveque ruled in June that this process violated the law.

Read Article

LexSucks - 1/3/2012 4:07:52 PM

+1 Boost

I guess those ticket cameras must always be 100% accurate and never make any mistakes?

Tritonx - 1/4/2012 6:07:29 AM

+1 Boost

Hmm the title says that tickets can't be challenged, but in the article, it appears that the court actually upheld a challenged ticket.. seems like the actual ruling is that superior court rulings for things under 200 bucks can't be appealed?

truckman - 1/4/2012 11:15:37 PM

+1 Boost

Police state, that is all I have to say.

truckman - 1/4/2012 11:15:38 PM

+1 Boost

Police state, that is all I have to say.