What are some common defenses to a traffic ticket?

There are a few common defenses to a traffic ticket in Tennessee. One of the most common is that the accused was not actually driving the vehicle when the violation occurred. This is often referred to as a misidentification defense. The defendant must prove that they were not driving the vehicle at the time of the violation and that the officer either made a mistake or was mistaken. Another defense is that the officer did not have the necessary probable cause for pulling the accused over. To provide probable cause, the officer needs to have observed something out of the ordinary indicating that a violation has occurred. If the officer does not have probable cause, then the evidence collected during the traffic stop may be inadmissible in court. Another potential defense is that the ticket was issued in violation of the accused’s constitutional rights, such as the right against unreasonable search and seizure. In these cases, the accused would need to prove that their constitutional rights were violated in order for the ticket to be dismissed. Finally, the accused may choose to contest the ticket all together. To do this, they must prove that they did not commit the violation in question. This is often a difficult defense and not recommended without the help of an attorney.

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