What's your opinion on one appearing in court en femme?
ENOUGH of the irrelevant opinions on everything else. I didn't ask, nor do I want to hear it. Your pissing in the wind with irrelevant speculation and BS
What's your opinion on one appearing in court en femme?
ENOUGH of the irrelevant opinions on everything else. I didn't ask, nor do I want to hear it. Your pissing in the wind with irrelevant speculation and BS
Last edited by LitaKelley; 02-04-2011 at 10:37 PM.
I would not go in drag because the judge might think that you would be a disruption in his court and his authority. I would suggest you call the court house and if you know which judge is going to hear your case, you can ask his permission to enter his court in drag. You will probably see the officer that ticketed you to discuss you ticket and he might lessen the charge. I would definatly talk to the judge first.
First of all, I think your defense is ill advised, that is speeding to charge your battery because of a defective alternator. You could be compounding your problem by admitting to driving with defective equipment.
Secondly, Betting on a getting a TG friendly judge is risky.
Better play it safe.
In your neck of the woods (New Hampshire) I would doubt that a judge would really frown upon your dressing that much. In my experience, judges really do seem to notice how you present yourself though. In drab mode, always wear at least a dress shirt and a tie. En femme, wear that sleek new suit you've been dying to show off. The key is showing up in his or her courtroom in a way that says you have respect for the establishment and the situation that you are in. (Whether or not you actually do is another issue altogether, but best left for another time and place!)
The judge won't let you off if you make an excuse like that. What you should do, is say you are sorry you were speeding and you are normally a cautious driver and you must have gone over the limit because you don't like driving at night. Admit you made a mistake and ask for a reduced fine because you can't afford to put food on the table...
Chickie
The reason for speeding probably won't hold much sway, but it might undermine any impact it could have. If you have the cojones to appear en femme in court, being stuck on a dark country road in the same manner of dress waiting for a tow truck might not be expected to be too scary
If you are really worried about your appearance en drab versus your pic on your license, and you were wearing a wig in your license photo, you could probably get away with wearing it to court (but otherwise present male; why take the chance with someone with authority over you?)
It depends a lot on the judge really. A female judge may be more compassionate with a situation like that.
Second star to the right and straight on till morning
That`s like saying " i robed a bank because i had no money " so is that OK , i think you will find that they will just say " the law is the law and if you brake it you pay , regardless of what clothes you are wearing , if you want to be treated the same as anyone else while dressed then so will they .
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Joanne
Well if you do go en femme, just do so conservatively. Maybe a nice top and pair of slacks. Save the Lady Gaga outfit for the club.
thing is if you go in drab but have a female photo on the DL, they can't really say much. They are not likely to put themselves in a situation where someone could yell discrimination.
But yeah it is unlikely that explaining car problems will gain much sympathy. If it was cause you went too far under the limit you could say transmission problems or something but speeding is unlikely. It just reminds me of when people have these fast cars and they say they are not used to them yet.
It takes a true Erin to be a pain in the assatar.
The fact that you were dressed won't buy any cconsideration from the judge, and I doubt that you will get the ticket cancelled. Best case scenario is likely a reduction in fine from that if you forfeit bail. In the end, its driving school for you or higher insurance premiums. Now the real issue, what to wear to driving school.
Hiya Lita...
Life is full of challenges. We all have to decide which battles to fight. I make every decision in life by selecting the option that appears to have the greatest potential of producing the outcome I desire.
Sometimes I realize there are no options with potential to improve my position. I also know that there is always the potential to make a bad situation...worse. Those scenarios always create a single objective of resolving the problem as quickly as possible, so I can move on in a forward direction. This would be one of those times.
The court system is always overloaded with cases. That is why mediation, pre-trial settlements,mail-in payments, plea bargains and other remedies are encouraged. Courts and Judges do not like wasting time. Court decisions have nothing to do with empathy, sympathy, fairness, compassion, understanding and "justice". They have everything to do with what you can or cannot prove in a Court of Law.
Here is a peek at a "Judge's" perspective...
Challenging your violation requires the time of the court, the Judge's time, the time of the officer that wrote the ticket, and other time. They take this process seriously and expect everyone involved to do the same. There is one objective. Determine if you exceeded the posted speed limit or you did not. They will assume your purpose is to prove you did not violate any laws.
Dressing in feminine attire will be viewed as a distraction.
The only part of your story the Judge will hear is your confession of having committed the violation. The rest is irrelevant.
If you present an altered DMV license (the "F" change) without documented legal authorization , you will be charged with that violation as well...(and probably will not be "driving" home, or anywhere else for awhile).
You still have the opportunity to pay the fine prior to your court date, which will resolve the issue. There are some options available to address financial insolvency issues. But none of them are pleasant.
Those are my thoughts...you owe me a penny, lol
Good Luck!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Driving school over a speeding ticket? The OP never really said how much over the limit or anything.Originally Posted by Mary Morgan
It takes a true Erin to be a pain in the assatar.
The problem with going to court is not only having to pay the fine, but also added court costs.
However, if you have not had any previous tickets, you could talk to the prosecutor on the day of your initial hearing before session starts and ask if you could attend a driver improvement class in order to get the ticket dismissed. If he/she agrees, you'll still need to plead guilty, but if you pass the class it will be dismissed. They usually give you two months to complete the course, obtain the completion certificate and file it with the court before your next scheduled appearance. Some states even allow you to take the course online. Which ever method you choose, you'll want to do it early as possible in order to get the certificate to file on time.
There will still be a fine to pay, which you could probably work out a payment plan. And the cost of the class. But if you get the ticket dismissed, it won't go on your record and your insurance won't be notified.
Note that if you try your excuse, the judge could raise a couple of questions (1) what do you think would have happened had your lights failed while speeding (reckless driving), and (2) why didn't you pull over someplace safe and just try revving the engine to charge the battery.
DonnaT
This is good advice. Your defence will not fly; forget it. You are lucky that you weren't cited for reckless driving as well. If you are in transition and have legal documentation to prove it, you may be able to go en-fem, but it's chancy and may be viewed as disrespect by the judge, in which case you are in it up to your neck. The cardinal rule in any court is to NEVER give a judge reason to think that you are doing this; it will go badly for you if (s)he does. Your best shot is traffic school; most courts will offer this, but it depends on location; I'd suggest calling your local PD to find out how to do this (don't use 911; you will be yelled at).
Last edited by donnalee; 02-04-2011 at 07:24 AM.
ALWAYS plan for the worst, then you can be pleasantly surprised if something else happens!
"The important thing about the bear is not how well she dances, but that she dances at all." - Old Russian Proverb (with a gender change)
see if you can get a judgment via phone/mail, and get a smaller fine and traffic school....do it.
you are going into traffic court, you are guilty no mater what. and the judge only wants to improve his court, so guilty as charged....now what is your fine.
as far as dressed how do you dress in your "normal life"? this is how you should be but dressed very nice and showing respect to the court.
money is the only thing they really care about, so many speeders and lots of easy cash, in theses times were city's/county's/and even some states need cash they will get it everywhere they can.
plead no contest, and try to get the fine reduced and school. liter pickup etc.
or just pay the fee as the judge says and get on with life and drive the posted speed.
.
Last edited by Loni; 02-04-2011 at 07:35 AM. Reason: add
I would not go to court dressed en femme.
I would go in male mode, wearing a suit and tie and well groomed. Judges want to see that you respect the court.
As for your defense, I would not go with what you proposed. Say you didn't realize you were speeding and appologize to the court. If you really want to fight it, hire a lawyer and take his/her advice.
[SIGPIC]http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/image.php?type=sigpic&userid=82706&dateline=137762 0356[/SIGPIC]Linda
The way you are dressed when you appear in court should not make one bit of difference. First of all, I don't think that you will have to show your driver's license when you appear, just have the original citation, so chances are that the judge will never see your feminine picture. You said that you dress as a woman most of the time so what difference would it make? You won't cause any more disruption than you did when you went and got your driver's license dressed as a woman. The judge probably will be taken slightly aback when he sees you dressed and hears your male name but as they say, "justice is blind"; he will make a decision on the circumstances of the case. Don't mock hem just dress nicely and age appropriate and state your reason for speeding and perhaps you can keep it off your driving record and not cause your insurance premiums to increase. You might take a girl friend with you if you dress enfemme because that's what women do when they have be in a situation that makes them uncomfortable. Good luck!
No way I'd even go to court on this. Just go pay the ticket. You're going to have to pay it anyway. There may be payment options available that do not require going before a judge. The last ticket I got, which I paid at the police station, I was put on (traffic) probation for 6 months. If I didn't get another ticket within the city limits for 6 months, they didn't notify my insurance company. It seems like they may have also offered payment terms, but I don't remember for sure. Call them and ask. Don't needlessly set yourself up for (at least) embarrassment in a full courtroom. I may be overly skeptical, I hope I am, but I suspect that even if you looked like Miss America, a male dresses as a woman in traffic court won't work seamlessly.
I agree with Rhonda, just pay the ticket and be done with it.
Renee
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] [SIZE="2"]Huggs, Renee[/SIZE]
Your excuse for speeding is not a valid excuse for speeding the law is the law..... in femme or not? only you can make that choice but I do wish you GOOD LUCK!!..
Michelle
The reason you close your eyes when you dream, when you kiss, and when you pray is because the best things in life aren't seen with your eyes, but are felt with your heart.
Just MHO but if I were the judge I would find you dressed as a woman in my court to be both disruptful and making a mockery of the court... and i'm one of you guys!!
So probably not a good idea to dress.
Fun loving skirt wearer
I agree with others who say don't go en femme. There are people out there who think that there is "something wrong" with men who wear dresses. Judges are people. Are you confident that the judge won't have a bias against a crossdresser? Put forward your best image: coat & tie.
What do you think when a contestant on American Idol comes out in a quirky costume? Probably can't sing worth a darn (there have been a few exceptions). It's a singing contest. The armadillo costume won't help you. Watch the judges roll their eyes even before the singing starts. You're already doomed.
Any distractions you bring to court with you are bound to work against you. Even if they don't, they probably won't help you. You have a right to make your case and try to get some compassion and relief, but do it as straightforward as you can. Coat & tie.
And then again, the officer may not even show up at the hearing and the judge will rule for you.
Sherrie Lynn Pall
Sometimes I make sense and that frightens me.
Please don't let me be the last post on this thread
Are you a crossdresser or are you actually transitioning? You said that you live almost full-time and have a female picture on your drivers license. Then why are you doubting whether to go to court as a female? If you are transitioning it is way different than being a crossdresser and you should not be scared to go out in the world as teh female you are. Just present yourself as a normla human being and you should be treated as such. I have had to go to court twice now since starting my transition and have appeard as female every time.
"Be excellent to each other" (Wyld Stallyons)
"Marches alone cant bring integration, if human respect is disintegrating" (Barry McGyuire)
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