TRAFFIC CASES/ SPEEDING TICKETS/ LASER GUNS

Police laser guns, often called Lidar, work by sending pulses of light to an object, like your car. The pulses of light bounce back to the device, which measures the change in the distance between the pulses to calculate how fast your car is going.

The officer holding the gun aims it at a specific car, often focusing the laser point on the front license plate. Laser guns have been in use to catch speeders since the late 1980s, but they are not nearly as widespread as radar guns, partly because they are more expensive for police departments to buy.

LASER SPEEDING TICKETS & STATE LAW

Courts in some states, including Hawaii , have ruled that laser guns have been sufficiently tested and are proven accurate. That doesn't mean that your case is hopeless.

The prosecutor must still prove the case, and all its elements, beyond a reasonable doubt. The laser guns have to be regularly calibrated, the officer must be able to testify properly and have the requisite first hand knowledge about the gun, its technology, maintenance and the circumstances regarding your particular case. Some police departments may lack the personnel or records to establish that the particular gun in question was operating properly on the day in question. An attorney can help decide if a specific ticket can be challenged and the best way to go about that.

FIGHTING SPEEDING TICKETS FROM LASER GUNS

Can a Traffic Ticket Attorney Help?

Fighting a speeding ticket when police use a laser gun can be difficult but not impossible. Police laser guns work differently from radar guns, and law enforcement agencies say they are even more reliable. But they aren't foolproof and attorneys around the country have been able to get the results of laser guns thrown out by challenging the accuracy of the technology or the training of the officer using the gun. Laser guns also need to be regularly calibrated, if they're not, their results may not hold up in court. Some attorneys have questioned their effectiveness in the rain or snow as well.  Attorneys have also successfully challenged laser gun results by claiming that the officer operating the gun didn't have enough training and may have made a mistake.

Other traffic offenses

Other traffic offenses include leaving the scene of an accident, having an open alcohol container, DUI, reckless driving and the like. The government still has the burden of proving all the elements beyond a reasonable doubt. An experienced criminal defense attorney can utilize all of his skills, from defending speeding tickets, DUI, assault, and even manslaughter, to fight off traffic crimes. Although specific knowledge is necessary for DUI and laser speeding tickets, the rules of evidence apply to all criminal cases as do many other rules and laws. Kevin O'Grady has that varied and lengthy experience.