I have to go to court.. Can I go en femme?

[LitaKelley]

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

[Cindygirl65]

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.

[Tanya C]

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.

[Carissa]

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!)

[Chickhe]

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...

[DebsUK]

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

[Vickie_CDTV]

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?)

[Kate Simmons]

It depends a lot on the judge really. A female judge may be more compassionate with a situation like that.:)

[Joanne f]

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 .

[Nicole Erin]

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.

[Mary Morgan]

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.

[eluuzion]

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 :heehee:).

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!:hugs:
:love:

[Nicole Erin]

In the end, its driving school for you or higher insurance premiums. Now the real issue, what to wear to driving school.
Driving school over a speeding ticket? The OP never really said how much over the limit or anything.

[DonnaT]

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.

[donnalee]

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. 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).

[Loni]

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.

.

[linda allen]

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.

[Annie D]

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!

[Rhonda Jean]

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.

[renee k]

I agree with Rhonda, just pay the ticket and be done with it.

Renee

[herwannabe]

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

[Julia Welch]

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.

[NicoleScott]

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.

[SherriePall]

And then again, the officer may not even show up at the hearing and the judge will rule for you.

[JenniferZ2009]

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.

[Stephenie S]

I agree with all the others. Your excuse for speeding is lame, lame, lame.

Why not just pay the ticket and take your lumps?

If you do go to court, then dress well no matter what the gender presentation. If you wear a suit, male or female, you should be OK. Try to show respect for the court.

Stephie

[kimdl93]

I'd pay the fine and move on. Definately do not try the judge's patience with an excuse.

[LitaKelley]

:brolleyes: Looking at several of the responses, I'm thinking I should of just simply asked "is it ok to go to court en femme" without including my reason for asking

I only gave details in order to state why I was asking the question... All I wanted answers on was whether or not it's ok to go to court en femme, nothing else.

The only thing I want a response on is the actual question asked in the thread title.

[Annette_boy]

Hi
I am with the do not go to court enfem crowd the judge could decide thet you were in contemt of court and add additional fines and or Jail time. Remember Contempt of Court is what ever the Judge decides is contempt and He or She can pass what ever sentance they wish

So I would avoid this possability
as for the DL photo mine here in MD is feminine looking odds are good you wont be asked to show it. As for the bad battery deff I would drop that and go for the I did not realize I was over the Limit or better yet contact the clerk of the courts office ans see if you can just pay up and not have to appear .this should be agreeable to them cause of tha time saving to all and they get the Money and can add a conviction to there Coup stick.
Huggs Annette

[Joanne f]

The simple answer is " yes you can go en fem but why take the risk " whatever you believe you are you still run the risk of being looked at as a cross dresser or being identified as female and want special treatment , nether will go down well .

And if you take that attitude in court you will not have a hope in hell of getting off. :)

[Mary Morgan]

Of course it is okay. Just have your purse ready.

[Shelly Preston]

Hi Lita

Only go enfemme if you are transitioning and can prove it ( contact the court and explain first )

Other than this reason go in drab

[Yolanda_Voils]

As being raised in company of a Judge, several friends who were attorneys, I suggest this.

Pay the ticket. You were breaking the law with no real reason except you might have to "walk"
If walking in that area endangerd you life or limb, then that's a reasonable defense.

Remember where you're going, to the "Kings Court" when there, speak the "King's English" and dress like you're going to Church.

I suggest a coat and tie unless your license say's you're female, dress en-drabbe[male]

Also, the first time you go to court on items of this nature[in most states] are to plead, you'll get no sympathy from this visit, if you plead "not guilty" then a trial date will be set up.

Again, in most states you have a choice of trials, by Jury or Judge.

Remember the vast majority of the Judicial System are Right Wing Conservative types.

Best of Luck
Yolanda

[DonniDarkness]

Ok, so to answer your real question,

You should dress as best as you can, for the gender you represent everyday.
I say this because, no matter which court in the US you go to you will not be the first person to appear in front of that judge as a TG/TS/TM......
As circuit judges they have seen the very worst of the dirge of society to the everyday person to the the corporate types......

Your case and whether you have just cause for dismissal should be advised by an attorney in you area.
Your local defense attorney would have much information to offer in this subject. As he has undoubtedly worked with cases similar to this

[Julogden]

Regardless of which gender you choose to go in, dress appropriately and drop the excuse for speeding, it won't work. Since your ID shows you as a woman, I would think it appropriate for you to dress in agreement with your ID.

I think Chickhe's suggestion is best. It's pretty certain that you're going to end up paying for speeding, so apologize and see if you can get the minimum fine assessed.:2c:

Good luck!
Carol

[Stephenie S]

So to address your actual question, of course you can. Go to court dressed appropriately to your identification. In any case, male or female, wear a suit or "business casual" if you don't have a suit.

S

[msniki48]

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.

I have to agree with Mary...being dressed to court is no problem as it is on your license:battingeyelashes:...so the judge would see that it is a big part of your life. I would try to get the reduced, and yes...start shopping for driving class!:heehee:

[Kaz]

Hi Lita,

I am in the UK, so I have very little knowledge of the US court system, but the reason many of us "bigged it up" over the response you want is that in a court perception is critical... so it is not wise to see going dressed as a seperate issue from how you broke the law. technically you broke the law and I agree with others your ideas for mitigation won't get taken seriously and could damage your defence as a) wasting court time and b) trying to decieve and pervert the course of justice. In my experience, this does not work in your favour. What you need to do to achieve the best outcome is to win hearts and minds. Accept what has happened, and present as an exemplary citizen who has just made a small error of judgement, but one that could have had profound results (the stats say there is a link between speed and death in an accident).

Now the question is... will going dressed increase your credibility and perceived willingness to learn from from your actions? or not?

The gamble here I suspect is who the judge/magistrate(s) are and what their perception of CDing is.

If you were the judge... and I don't mean literally YOU, but put yourself in the mind of who is likely to be there... what would you think?

You will not get off this... the fact that it has got to court means that they will need to reimburse court costs... what impact will being there dressed have on the perception of those whose judgement you are facing?

I know what I'd do, but you won't like the answer!

[Rhonda Jean]

:brolleyes: Looking at several of the responses, I'm thinking I should of just simply asked "is it ok to go to court en femme" without including my reason for asking

I only gave details in order to state why I was asking the question... All I wanted answers on was whether or not it's ok to go to court en femme, nothing else.

The only thing I want a response on is the actual question asked in the thread title.

In that case, yes.

[TGMarla]

I woulda just chalked it up to bad luck, and paid the stupid ticket. Good luck in court.


By the way, I doubt the judge will care one way or the other how you're dressed, as long as he knows you're not making a mockery of him or his courtroom.

[giuseppina]

Hello Lita,

My comments are telling it like it is, and are not meant to be negative.

Your excuse about battery charging does not hold water. An hour or two of driving at legal secondary road speeds (80 km/h or 50 mph in Canada) runs the engine fast enough for the alternator to deliver its full rated output and charge the battery fully. Besides, a trickle charger will charge the battery in two days from completely flat if it will accept a charge.

You'll have to take your lumps on this one regardless of how you dress, I'm afraid.

[Tranny Tee]

Your excuse is horrible and you have an almost zero chance of winning. If you are transitioning or want to show off go dressed. Wear something conservative, the courtroom s not the place to show a lot of skin. You wil get bonus points if you ask the prosecutor (when the court is not in session) "Does this skirt make my butt look big."

[Christinedreamer]

I would suggest go in drab but nicely. There will be reactions from others in the court regardless of whether or not the judge is OK with it. Also the advice about the technical details of battery charging is quite accurate. Don't ever try to BS anyone in a court system about car mechanics.

I had my case of a HVAC contractor suing me for stopping payment on a check I wrote where he delivered defective service dismissed. In my case the judge informed the plaintiff that he had worked his way through law school repairing HVAC systems and knew I was telling the truth and the contractor was lying. It also gave the judge and courtroom some humorous time when I had evidence that I bought the correct parts after the techs repair failed and even loaned the tech my tools as his were not on the truck.

[JohnH]

I suggest you go in drab but wear a short wig. After all, men can have long hair. The excuse for speeding to charge the car battery is lame - you could have spun the engine at a higher RPM by shifting to a lower gear.

Johanna

[GaleWarning]

:brolleyes: Looking at several of the responses, I'm thinking I should of just simply asked "is it ok to go to court en femme" without including my reason for asking

I only gave details in order to state why I was asking the question... All I wanted answers on was whether or not it's ok to go to court en femme, nothing else.

The only thing I want a response on is the actual question asked in the thread title.

In my experience it would be in your best interests to go to court dressed in a suit and tie. Show respect for the system, even if you don't actually feel that way about it.

Any disrespect will lead to a harsher sentence, and I don't see oyu beating this one.

[lingerieLiz]

Very simple answer. Most states let you pay the court costs and take defensive driving. That avoids the fine and you get an insurance discount. The only other anser is to hire a lawyer and have him get you off which costs more money.

You are going to pay the court costs anyway, so why go in fem and risk antagonizing the judge. Just go in and pay the fine. If you don't have the money at the moment talk to the court clerk and see if you can get a delay.

[NathalieX66]

Lita,
in the endgame, the only thing I care about is the consequences of a bad ruling.
Let's say I get caught speeding. the only thing that matters is that my car insurance goes up exponentially because of a speeding ticket.
I've faced many times in a courtroom for driving offenses, there is nothing worse than to have to sit for three to four hours with a bunch of pothead knuckledraggers while I wait to stand in front of a judge.

How I'm dressed means nothing.

[Schatten Lupus]

I'd just show up ahead of time and pay the ticket off. And that way dressing en femme wouldn't be as much of an issue since you wouldn't be appearing before the judge.
But I would not advise appearing before the judge that way. The main reason is that you may get a judge that would see that as a bad thing, and what may have been a minimal penalty will become a maximum.

[MsJanessa]

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.

Good point---since the OP obviously edited her original post because she didn't like the answers she heard here, I'm not going to waste my time and hers telling her how to beat a speeding rap.

However, I have been a lawyer for 30+ years and during the first half of my career represented many people in court charged with various offences and gave my clients lots of advice on what to wear and how to act in court. If you are transitioning and live full time as a woman, then you are what you are and it's ok to go to court that way----most judges would not have a problem with it so long as you dressed and act appropriately---conservative pantsuit or skirt and blouse, moderate makeup, no sky scrapper heels etc---in other words don't dress like a hooker but femme is ok if you are in fact living full time as a woman.

If, on the other hand, you cross dress once in a while and are not presenting as a lady on a full time basis, its best to appear in court as the gender you normally present to the public, not what you do two or three nights a month at a local mall, TG bar etc---if you do, the judge may get the idea that you are disrespecting him or her and you may find yourself in contempt of court and even if you are not found in contempt, remember the judge has discretion in setting the amount of the fine--you do not want to piss him or her off--they can enlarge the fine on a whim if they want. BTW I am curious as to whether your defense, speeding to recharge the battery so you won't be stranded would work---come back to this page and let us know what happened.

[Maxi]

Wear your best Lady Gaga outfit, and explain to the judge: You just picked up a kosher ham at the store, and needed to stop at the airport to pick up a 5 gallon bucket of prop wash. The cur-vain valve on your car must have malfunctioned, causing the muffler bearing to over rev, increasing your speed. See how the Judge responds.

[TS_Denice]

I missed the thread where you explained why you were going to court. From the responses it seems to be a traffic ticket. My question is were you dressed when you received the ticket? If you were then I don't see any problem going to court dressed. In fact the officer that issued the ticket may bring it up in their testimony. The officer may be asked to identify you in the courtroom. If you were dressed as a female at the time and show up dressed as a male the officer may identify you in court but mention the change in your appearance. If you were not dressed at the time you received the ticket then I wouldn't do it. If you are fighting this ticket it's your word vs. the police officer's word. I would save dressing for another day. Just be consistent.

[JohnH]

"Just be consistent"

Since I understand you don't have much natural hair I still maintain you want to wear one of your shorter wigs with your men's outfit. That way your appearance won't be that much different than what's on your license or what the officer saw when you were issued the ticket.

Johanna

[Nicole Erin]

:brolleyes: Looking at several of the responses, I'm thinking I should of just simply asked "is it ok to go to court en femme" without including my reason for asking
The only thing I want a response on is the actual question asked in the thread title.

Yeah no doubt, it is a speeding ticket and people are talking like you are gonna swing by the neck. Like you will be nationally shamed and deported.

I guess I should be used to this board how people are all like, "thou shalt be damned!" but it still is like WTF?

[GaleWarning]

Yeah no doubt, it is a speeding ticket and people are talking like you are gonna swing by the neck. Like you will be nationally shamed and deported.

I guess I should be used to this board how people are all like, "thou shalt be damned!" but it still is like WTF?

Well, if you look at my response, Nicole, I focussed only on the OP's original request.

I supposed that LK was interested in the outcome of the court case, and would want to give her/himself the best possible result; that it was not simply a desire to have us affirm some already made decision on her/his part. Otherwise, what would be the point of the OP?

Methinks thou dost protest too much.
:)