I recently became aware of what are being called "snitch tickets." These are tickets issued from automated red light and speed cameras. The notices are issued by the law enforcement agency, not the court system. They provide no details on a court hearing, because there is not court hearing. Most tickets provide three avenues
1. Pay the ticket
2. Provide documentation that your car or plates were reported stolen.
3. Go to a hearing. This hearing is with the officer and the lawyer hired by the police station. First, you pay bond in the amount of the ticket, then you get your appearance date.

Apparently, if the fine is not paid on time, there is a $25 late fee. For me, the problem is there is no due process. Not as I believe the founders intended. Apparently, these red light and speed cameras only prove what car did the violation, not the driver, and many of these that are taken to court and resulting in wins for the driver.

I guess lawyers are saying "prove they were the driver" and without substantial proof (pic of the driver), these cases were being tossed left and right.

As a result, the police have done something very clever. They mail out tickets that are never sent to court. They look the same as a court document, and appear to give the same options, only the DMV is never told, there are no bench warrants given, and no points are assessed on your license.

I support the police and their efforts, but I find it difficult to accept that in these instances, the burden is on the driver to prove they were not driving, rather then the state to prove they were. This seems to go directly against our legal system.

The police phishing for people to pay tickets because they cannot win in court also seems a gross violation as well.

Funny thing is, unless the ticket is actually signed (or sig stamped) by the prosecuting attorney and submitted to the court, the "case" hasn't actually ever been filed. It's all a big pay-to-play scheme devised by city counsels and commissioners to squeeze even more money out of taxpayers.

From http://www.speederrapids.com/ [1]