Each Wednesday, we’ll publish quick summaries of the articles from the last week on TheNewspaper.com. We’re doing this because these articles are often strongly connected to the issues that National Motorists Association members are interested in.
Wednesday, November 06, 2013
Missouri Appeals Court Backtracks, Opposes Red-Light Cameras
In a stunning reversal, the Missouri Court of Appeals admitted that its past support of red-light cameras was mistaken. Two years ago, an appellate panel that included Judge Robert G. Dowd, a relative of American Traffic Solutions lobbyist Edward Dowd, penned the Creve Coeur v. Nottebrok decision bestowing statewide legitimacy on the use of automated ticketing machines. That view changed on Tuesday when the same court held the red-light camera ordinance in Ellisville to be void and unenforceable.
Tuesday, November 05, 2013
New York: Trial Court Judge Defends Red-Light Cameras
The city of Rochester, New York won the first round Friday in a major legal fight against the use of red-light cameras. A New York State Supreme Court judge for Monroe County rejected an attempt to shut down the devices as unconstitutional. Unlike most states, the supreme court is the first rung on the state court system with the New York Court of Appeals enjoying the final say in legal matters.
Monday, November 04, 2013
Federal Court Upholds Overnight Jail Over $15 Seatbelt Ticket
Amanda Cruz was adjusting her seatbelt at a traffic light in Hall County, Georgia on the evening of June 19, 2010. Little did she know that for doing so, she would have to spend the rest of the night behind bars. The Eleventh Circuit US Court of Appeals on Thursday ruled that her jailing was entirely appropriate.
Sunday, November 03, 2013
Maryland, France: Speed Cameras Spraypainted
In Dirinon, France, vigilantes spraypainted a happy face on a speed camera on Thursday. The white paint of the eyes covered the lenses of the device on the N165 toward Brest-Quimper, preventing it from issuing tickets, Le Telegramme reported. Three other cameras in the Lorient area were destroyed on the same night, including one set on fire with a burning tire.
Friday, November 01, 2013
Iowa Speed Cameras Face Legal, Regulatory Siege
The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) on Thursday closed the public comment period on its proposed new rules for the use of speed cameras on state-controlled roads. Officials intend to rein in the use of automated enforcement for the purpose of generating revenue by requiring engineering justifications before permission to use cameras will be granted. At a public hearing in Ankeny Wednesday, municipal officials showed up in force to express outrage at the possibility that their programs could face such restriction. The department is holding firm.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Ohio Supreme Court Green Lights Speed Camera Challenge
Vehicle owners who received a speed camera ticket in Elmwood Place, Ohio will have a chance to get their money back through a courtroom challenge. That is bad news for the village, because the trial will take place before Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Robert P. Ruehlman, who has already made it clear he believes the automated ticketing machines in the speed trap town are a “sham”. The state Supreme Court declined last week to intervene, despite the desperate plea of local officials.
