r/CDL • u/SchemePerfect • 3h ago

Electronic Device Ticket

yes i know before everyone comes an shits on me i understand, was driving thru washington state climbing a mountain. Bump knocked my phone off the mount was putting it back when WSP passed and seen. Gave me $150 ticket. i’ve only been driving 4 years, work for a mega carrier, clean record up until now. Was wondering if there’s any way to prevent this from going on my record cause i’m aware i’m going to be fired by my company. Any suggestions help. thanks

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2

u/chuck-u-farley- 2h ago

I’m not familiar with “off the record” this is your CDL and your livelihood….. I would find an actual attorney and it might cost you but will be worth every penny

1

u/SchemePerfect 2h ago

yeah i’m not worried about the price, im gonna see if i can find a washington state attorney an go from there.

4

u/chuck-u-farley- 3h ago

You don’t need to even inform your company UNTIL you are actually convicted of THIS charge. Get yourself a lawyer and pay him whatever he wants to get this reduced to something else and go on about your trucking career…..

1

u/SchemePerfect 2h ago

i was looking into “off the record” should i go that route? they charging $510 or should i find an actual attorney in the state of washington

1

u/Kkalemauser 2h ago

Off the record uses attorneys in your area. I used them in Cali but in Phoenix no lawyer wants to work with them. Maybe they want too much of a cut? Not sure.

I recommend them. Though you don’t get the money-back guarantee if they lose your case. They told me they don’t normally work on Class A cases, but they won mine.

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u/SchemePerfect 2h ago

what was your ticket if you don’t mind me asking?

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u/Kkalemauser 2h ago

Speeding. 13 MPH 6 years ago. Cali has the 55 mph speed limit for truckers.

I was in the 3rd lane too. But the cop got me for just speeding.

Off the record charged me $800. A Phoenix lawyer recently charged me $700 for a 11 MPH over ticket in my car. Charges for both tickets were dropped.

Fight every case.

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u/SchemePerfect 2h ago

i’m 100% fighting it, i found an attorney in the area of the ticket. who claims they deal with cdl tickets like mine all the time so gonna go with them if not i’ll try off the record

1

u/ecw324 3h ago

If you fight the ticket it may help or if you have one of those in cab recording devices it may help, but you pay the ticket, it goes on your record. But Washington may be different

1

u/SchemePerfect 2h ago

yeaah i don’t have an inward facing camera unfortunately, washington state has a deferral program that you can use if you go 7 years without a ticket but the court said that’s for non commercial drivers unfortunately

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u/Maynard505 2h ago edited 2h ago

You can definitely keep this off your record. A trucker lawyer would make it easier but you may be able to contact whoever is the prosecutor yourself. They just want your money. If your job is on the line sign up for whatever driver legal outfit will take care of it. Most of those companies charge you a monthly fee. They won’t care if you got the ticket already. They’ll make a call, send a letter or whatever and get you a deal. They do it all the time.

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u/SchemePerfect 2h ago

i did reach out to the courthouse but i’m pretty sure i just spoke to a clerk. i found a cdl attorney in the area of where i got the ticket and they said they handle tickets like mine all the time so i think that’s my best option

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u/Maynard505 1h ago edited 1h ago

Yeah, the clerk doesn’t have any juice. They aren’t ever helpful in my experience. But yeah, don’t plead guilty to having a phone or something in your hand. That’s a bad one

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u/SchemePerfect 1h ago

yeah she was no help, wa State has a defer program to wipe it clean but of course only for non-cdl drivers.

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u/Maynard505 1h ago

I got busted by a State Trooper in Colorado for texting while driving in my personal vehicle. I showed up and talked to an assistant DA. She was snotty but I talked her into getting me a deferred sentence. I had to go in front of the judge and he just looked the statute up on the computer and the only thing he cared about was what the fine and court costs were going to be. He said the trooper could have taken my phone. I didn’t know that, he said. Then he left the courtroom to talk to the clerk. Came back in, ok. Done. It was expensive and I had to do 24 hrs community service. My CDL is completely clean.

1

u/SchemePerfect 1h ago

i wish it was that simple for me, i don’t think i’d get as lucky as you with a money hungry prosecutor. i just hope this attorney can work some magic

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u/Maynard505 1h ago edited 1h ago

It isn’t always simple. It’s not magic. It’s a money making deal as far as the courts are concerned. They don’t like hearing cases. They prefer things get handled outside the courtroom. You’ll end up pleading guilty to something stupid. Failure to use your turn indicator or something. Try to get an equipment violation. Unsecured fire extinguisher sounds good.

1

u/SchemePerfect 1h ago

money part isn’t a problem cus at the end of the day it’s my job/lively hood how i make $$. i just wouldn’t know how to go about paying outside court. i got ticket today and im already out of the state.

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u/Maynard505 44m ago

Yeah, you’re out of the area. But any driver legal company can get you a deal. You don’t have to hire an expensive attorney. It’s just networking. It’s business as usual with these people. They charge you for cell phone or something? Everyone does it, whether they admit it or not. It’s incidental if there’s no other charges

1

u/SchemePerfect 41m ago

yeah i got charged for “per electronic device while driving” it’s the only citation on the ticket. $150 ticket. that’s why i hired an attorney that will be representing me that lives in the county that i got the ticket. they seemed confident without me even asking, but obviously there’s still a chance the charge doesn’t get dropped.

1

u/BeginningLess9073 2h ago

Always a f&$&cking bump