In Arizona They Have Camera Tickets For Both Speeding And Running A Red Light

Interviewer: Are those where they have the camera there and they take a picture of you?

Acacia Law Group Lawyer: Right. In Arizona, they have them both for speed and the red lights.

After A Person Gets Flashed by the Camera, the Authorities Send a Document in the Mail Notifying Them of the Occurrence

Interviewer: What's the story behind those? Are those lien-able? What should someone do in that kind of situation?

Acacia Law Group Lawyer: There's a lot of procedural things that have to be done for cameras, and that's the basis to fight them there. I never want to recommend just throwing the ticket out, because you're not generally supposed to do that, but, generally, there's things they have to prove. For one thing, I can tell you is, in Arizona you have a right to be personally served. That means that the first thing that will happen is you're going to get flashed, they're going to send you something in the mail that says that the camera took your picture. They're going to tell you then, do you want to respond back and admit it's you or rat out the driver, and they're going to tell you it's not even a ticket at this point.

The Time Limit For the Cameras is 60 Days to File Tickets in Arizona

So, you're welcome to do that, or you can just, not even the ticket. You can throw that out, do what you want with it, save it, but I always recommend wait till they come and serve you with a ticket, because if you didn't turn that in right away and say it's you, then of course they're going to issue a ticket, but often the time limits in Arizona for these cameras is they only have 60 days to file the ticket.  If you don't respond or look into it, after 60 days an attorney can advise you on the law and get it dismissed because they didn't file the complaint on time. Even if they do mail you that complaint in the mail, the law says that you are entitled to personal service. You have to pay for it, though, it's your choice.

If a Motorist Doesn’t Get Served Within Three Months of the Complaint Being Filed, the Ticket Gets Dismissed

You can either look at the requested hearing or the defensive driving at that point and save yourself a little bit of money, or you can make them come personally to your house and serve you a copy of that ticket before you actually are liable for it. The upside of that is sometimes they forget. If they don't serve you within 3 months of actually filing the complaint, the ticket gets dismissed. The downside is if they do serve you, it's a gamble. Then you are liable for the cost of service, which generally could be between $25 and $55. It's really up to the individual, do they want to gamble on the procedural aspects. I always recommend that they do, just because of the fact that you're entitled to that personal service, but it's up to the individual. What you shouldn't be doing is you should not, obviously, be trying to avoid service or trying to avoid the ticket altogether. Just make Arizona comply with the law that they've actually done.