Do I have a case to take the court or not?

Question

I work at a Country club in PA that has a banquet hall.  We host wedding that end sometimes as late as 12:30AM at night. So we do not leave work until like 1:30AM some nights. So here is the story of what happened and you let me know if I have a case or not.

I got done work like I always do at around 1AM on a Saturday night. I walked out to my car and got in with my buddy. I let my car warm up like I always do to make sure I get the fluids flow through the engine since it is a cold night and windows had ice on them. I noticed that my dash lights were all out when I turned on the lights. After I waited about 10 minutes we went on are way. I was driving to my buddies house to go to sleep since he lived closer to work then I did. So as I was driving I passed a cop that was in the shopping center waiting to make a turn. I drove normally obeying the speed limit and other laws. The cop turned on his lights to pull me over.  The cop asked me like they usually do "what  are you doing out so late and do you know why I pulled you over"? I said to the cop that I just got done work at the local country club and going to my buddies house to go to sleep. Also I had no idea why he pulled me over (since I was not sure). The Cop told me that I had no rear tail lights. I said that I did not know and that I knew I did not have dash lights when I got in. I Also said that was not aware that they were both connected. At the same time I told him I go to a tech school for automotive and that I will talk to my teacher and bring it in to fix it. The cop told me that it might be a fuse. I said okay and we walked away with my info like they usually want. 2-5 minutes later he gives me a 120 dollar ticket for no tail lights and other crap they add on in PA. The cop told me by law that I am not allowed to drive the car without working taillight. I told the officer that I was going to my buddies house and tomorrow I will get it fixed. The cop said no you can not drive it anywhere. You have to find another means of getting to his house. The cop also said that I am patrolling the area and if I see you leave the area you will be in more trouble.  So I asked if I can drive over to another parking lot that was about 10 car length way. He said that was a good idea. The cop would not be nice and let me off with a fix it violation. The cop was rude and nasty to me. So after I got the ticket I was at the parking lot thinking what can I do now. I can not leave the car here. So I called another person that works with me and my buddy to pick my buddy up. At the same time I had no choice, but to call Triple A to pick up my car and take it to my local mechanic shop. I waited there till about 2:30-3AM till the tow truck guy got there. The cop passed by me another time to make sure I did not leave. So at that time I found out that there was 50 dollars outstanding I had to pay to get the car towed. So I got it towed and the guy that was with me got back with his car to fallow the trow truck plus take me home. Now Monday rolls around I had to pay 100 bucks to get the problem fixed that I could have done it for 10 bucks. So now I have to pay a grand total of 270 for a ticket and problems that occurred because the cop would not let me drive the car home. 

After I signed not guilty and was going to go to court to fight this. I feel the cop overstep the lines of duty and singled me out since I am 22 plus out late. The cop saw that I had no tail lights so he could easily nail me for that. Also he did his best to make my night a living hell by making me have to leave my car in the parking lot and make me have to wake other people up to pick me up. Then inconveniencing other people. Plus I was thinking since he was rude towards me if I was to just leave my car there I was also thinking that he could find another way to say he abandoned the car and tow it away to make more trouble. 

So all I want to know is do I have a case or not. I will be bring in documents like tow fee, mechanic fee, work papers that say I really do work at the country club plus papers that say I do go to a tech school. Let me know since my case is in 6 days

Thanks for your time and reading 

Brad Cooper :)

? · Accepted Answer

You may be able to get the ticket dismissed in court by showing that vyou did get it fixed but you dont have much to stand on for the rest here as the officer was only doing his job here whether he was truly rude or not. Maybe he should have cut you some slack here and could have follow3ed you home but thats his choice so not sure what youre hoping to accomplish here by taking this any further because you were in the wrong here and you called the btowing company after you left work knowing you did have a problem with the lights so you just may have to chalk this up to experience, sorry

Mojave L · Answer

Sounds like the cop was going by the Book, but being a jerk about it.  I would, just as the other poster suggested, get the tail lights fixed and bring all the documentation to court (including the tow fees) so it reflects the good faith effort you made to comply and get it fixed as soon as you could.  I would think that a reasonable judge would eliminate or reduce most of the fine just for your effort in coming to court to protest it.

Zach · Answer

So, you think you're above the law and shouldn't be ticketed for the illegal things you do? He didn't single you out because you were young and out late. He singled you out because your lights were broken, which is... wait for it... ILLEGAL! Since he gave you a fix-it ticket, get the car fixed, bring in the paperwork to prove it and you'll either pay a small fee, or the ticket will be dismissed. It's pretty simple.

spirit · Answer

i would pay up.  maybe you did not know about the dysfunctional lighting  but,  you  were saved  from a potential bad accident which could have made your life far worse or you and someone else dead.  even if the policeman seemed rude i feel he was doing his job.  sorry  mate just my belief.

Brandon T · Answer

Get it fixed before your court date and show the paperwork proving you've had it fixed.

Do I have a case to take the court or not?

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