So, on March 3, 2010, US District Court Judge Coughenour dismissed the well known lawsuit regarding traffic-camera tickets in the state of Washington. This was a bit of a shock to all Washington traffic attorneys.
It is disappointing that the Court did not look closely at the legislative intent when permitting Washington State traffic camera tickets. The legislature intended for the tickets to be in the $25 to $40 range – like a parking ticket – not in the $101 to $124 range. Obviously, these tickets are in place to generate money for the cities, and the cities are going to fight hard to keep this money.
Supposedly, each ticket has to be reviewed by the contracted company followed by a City Officer. I am skeptical that this is truly done with every Washington traffic ticket issued through the camera laws. I have seen several tickets that never should have been filed, i.e. an ambulance with its flashing lights on going through a red light.