Red Light Camera Tickets Could Be Null and Void

[Terminator]

If you have ever paid a red light camera ticket in Texas, you could be getting your money back. The legitimacy of the cameras is being called into question. We know the drill.... If any driver runs a red light, a camera will flash, and in a few weeks the car's owner will receive a ticket in the mail. But, thanks to a federal lawsuit, those drivers might not receive a ticket at all... And those who already have, could get their money back. When Nicholas Perry walked to his mailbox a few months ago, the last thing he expected to find was a red light ticket. "First off I was surprised because I didn't even know I ran the light, then I was angry." Angry he now had to pay a hefty fine. "I had to pay the courts like $107."
Perry could soon be 107 dollars richer, if Dallas Attorney Lloyd Ward has anything to say about it. He recently filed a federal class action lawsuit against ATS, the company that controls Amarillo's red light cameras, saying their job description... "Operate the cameras, gather all of the physical evidence to present to the city for prosecution of the violation," violates Texas law. "In order to do that type of work you have to have a private investigator's license, and we found out they didn't have one." We checked online and sure enough, we couldn't find an evidence of a private investigator's license either.
A District Court Judge agrees with Ward, saying the company is operating illegally and should have to refund all fines they collected. As for the lawsuit, ATS has one month to officially respond, but did give NewsChannel 10 this statement. "We believe this case is without merit and are reviewing it closely. ATS is in the process of hiring local legal counsel and will work closely with our partners and appropriate next steps to ensure this case is quickly dismissed." Don't expect a check in the mail anytime soon... If ever. Once the company responds, the court expects several appeals.

[Retmilleo909]

If you have ever paid a red light camera ticket in Texas, you could be getting your money back. The legitimacy of the cameras is being called into question. We know the drill.... If any driver runs a red light, a camera will flash, and in a few weeks the car's owner will receive a ticket in the mail. But, thanks to a federal lawsuit, those drivers might not receive a ticket at all... And those who already have, could get their money back. When Nicholas Perry walked to his mailbox a few months ago, the last thing he expected to find was a red light ticket. "First off I was surprised because I didn't even know I ran the light, then I was angry." Angry he now had to pay a hefty fine. "I had to pay the courts like $107."
Perry could soon be 107 dollars richer, if Dallas Attorney Lloyd Ward has anything to say about it. He recently filed a federal class action lawsuit against ATS, the company that controls Amarillo's red light cameras, saying their job description... "Operate the cameras, gather all of the physical evidence to present to the city for prosecution of the violation," violates Texas law. "In order to do that type of work you have to have a private investigator's license, and we found out they didn't have one." We checked online and sure enough, we couldn't find an evidence of a private investigator's license either.
A District Court Judge agrees with Ward, saying the company is operating illegally and should have to refund all fines they collected. As for the lawsuit, ATS has one month to officially respond, but did give NewsChannel 10 this statement. "We believe this case is without merit and are reviewing it closely. ATS is in the process of hiring local legal counsel and will work closely with our partners and appropriate next steps to ensure this case is quickly dismissed." Don't expect a check in the mail anytime soon... If ever. Once the company responds, the court expects several appeals.

Zoot suits or law suits by GAWD!!! red light cameras are LEGAL in my town!!!

[10-42Adam]

I got a stupid red light ticket about 4 years ago, but it wasn't your typical situation.

I was simply in a turning lane behind a semi truck and the truck went through it while it was yellow, the height of the truck blocked my view to see it was red so I ran it without even realizing it. Now I know some of you assholes will say something like "sounds like you were too close to it!" but come on now, I don't stop 50 feet behind semi's at red lights...

[Cidp24]

This red light camera thing still baffles me. Unless you have a photo of the driver and he/she is identified by name, how can you issue a cite? The car can't be charged and you can't prove the owner was the driver at the time. What about a misdemeanor having to happen in the presence of the officer?
(By the way, Jackson MS just set up a few of them and it seems they are catching a lot of on-duty LEO's in marked cars that have no record of being on emergency calls. That's just another black mark in the media on our profession)

[Morris]

Red light cameras are revenue generators and ways for cities to avoid hiring more traffic cops.

[Terminator]

Red light cameras are revenue generators and ways for cities to avoid hiring more traffic cops.

AGREED! And for City Council's/City Managers who can't budget!

[IndianaFuzz]

Last time I was in the DC area, I got caught by a speed camera in the outlying areas. But I never got a ticket in the mail. Only thing I can think of is that the plastic license plate cover I have caused glare from the camera flash so that they couldn't read my plate. It was early morning, sun just starting to rise, so I knew the flashing lights meant I was had. I had hoped they couldn't read my plate, and I guess they couldn't since I never got a ticket. Its the curved clear plastic kind, with a little road grime on it from being used for a couple of years. Got it at Wally World. So everyone run out and buy them to get out of tickets! hahahaha

[Second Chance]

I got one while I was light duty a few months back, still haven't paid it....................lol

[Ryan]

I got one a while back, and while it will be nice to get my money back, it feels dirty somehow. If they had found out the cameras weren't calibrated, or they weren't operating in some other way properly then fine. To nullify all of those tickets based on a technicality is a little stupid IMHO

[Caveman]

I like the concept of them and think they are effective to a certain point. Where they are not effective is that they don't, at least the ones we have around here, work on left turn red light runners. Also if you have a temp tag you on you car you get away with no cite.
But the citation photos I have seen were clear and you could easily identify the driver.