Maryland Politics: Traffic court bill passes - Politics and Policy from Baltimore, Annapolis and Washington

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April 12, 2010

Traffic court bill passes

The Senate just gave final approval to a House bill that would shift the burden to the driver who receives a ticket to request a trial in traffic court.

The bill, which passed unanimously, was a top priority for thye state's police chiefs because they believe it will save them millions of dollars in overtime paid to officers who go to traffic court for the trials of defendants who don't show up.

Once implemented, the bill will change the all-too-familiar routine for those who receive traffic tickets so that they don't receive and automatic court date. Rather, they will have to check off a box on the ticket and send it to the court requesting a date.

The measure brings Maryland into conformity with the overwhelming majority of states in their traffic court procedures.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 1:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Comments

Finally some good sense in Annapolis haha

Posted by: Brent | April 12, 2010 3:56 PM

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Annie Linskey covers state politics and government for The Baltimore Sun. Previously, as a City Hall reporter, she wrote about the corruption trial of Mayor Sheila Dixon and kept a close eye on city spending. Originally from Connecticut, Annie has also lived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where she reported on war crimes tribunals and landmines. She lives in Canton.

John Fritze has covered politics and government at the local, state and federal levels for more than a decade and is now The Baltimore Sun’s Washington correspondent. He previously wrote about Congress for USA TODAY, where he led coverage of the health care overhaul debate and the 2010 election. A native of Albany, N.Y., he currently lives in Montgomery County.

Julie Scharper covers City Hall and Baltimore politics. A native of Baltimore County, she graduated from The Johns Hopkins University in 2001 and spent two years teaching in Honduras before joining The Baltimore Sun. She has followed the Amish community of Nickel Mines, Pa., in the year after a schoolhouse massacre, reported on courts and crime in Anne Arundel County, and chronicled the unique personalities and places of Baltimore City and its surrounding counties.

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