Some NYC Traffic Courts More Likely to Convict

A recent news story revealed some interesting information about New York City’s traffic court system: Some courts are far more likely to convict drivers who wish to challenge their tickets than others are.

While New York City is certainly one of the largest cities in the United States, the differences in conviction rates among its eight traffic courts is striking, to say the least.

Brooklyn: Best Borough to Fight a Traffic Ticket In

On the lenient side of things, the Brooklyn South traffic court had the lowest conviction rate: 57 percent. Anyone wishing to challenge a ticket shouldn’t assume that showing up in court will be an automatic win, however. A rate of 57 percent still means that the judge is ruling in favor of the officer’s version of events more often than not.

On the other hand, the Brooklyn North traffic court has the second-highest conviction rate, coming in at a whopping 74 percent. So, depending on where in Brooklyn you received your traffic ticket, your odds of beating your ticket are either very good or rough.

Staten Island: Ticketed Drivers in for a Challenge

Staten Island’s traffic court is the home of Brian Levine, the traffic judge who has recently risen to infamy for his penchant for ruling against ticketed drivers. Levine has gained such a negative reputation, in fact, that there is currently a drive to have him ousted from the bench.

Staten Island drivers might have good reason to be aggrieved. The Staten Island court saw a conviction rate of 83 percent, giving drivers slim hopes for making a successful case to challenge their moving violation.

Why the Difference in Conviction Rates?

It’s difficult to say what exactly the cause of the differing conviction rates is. Likely, there are multiple contributing factors.

Certainly, the judges seated on the different courts is one such factor. However, the traffic conditions in the different boroughs is likely to be another, as would the likelihood of officers in different precincts to appear in court in support of the ticket they issued.

And of course, how likely drivers are to retain legal counsel is also a factor. While many drivers appear without an attorney, retaining an experienced traffic lawyer is one of the best ways to improve your odds for avoiding a traffic violation conviction.

An attorney who knows the players in the local traffic court and how to expose the flaws in the issuing officer’s case can make all the difference in convincing a traffic judge to dismiss your case.

NYC Traffic Attorney

At the Law Office of James Medows, helping ticketed drivers win their case is what we do. If you’ve been ticketed in NYC, we can help you determine how best to make your case and represent you in traffic court.

Find out how we can help by arranging a time for a free, confidential consultation. Just complete the form on this page or call us directly at 917-856-1247.