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Inside the court: Challenging speed camera tickets

By WTOP Staff

Ari Ashe, wtop.com

HYATTSVILLE, Md. – Every year, hundreds of thousands of Marylanders receive speed camera tickets in the mail and face a choice: Pay the ticket or go to court.

In Prince George’s County, drivers who choose to fight their speed camera ticket end up at District Court in Hyattsville. But whether they are successful or end up paying a fine and court costs largely depends on the judge.

On Wednesday, about two dozen people showed up at 8:45 a.m. to contest their tickets. They faced Judge Thomas J. Love, who according to AAA Mid-Atlantic is one of the few judges who give some drivers a fair shake.

Love started off with an olive branch. Anyone who pleaded guilty with an explanation saw their ticket reduced from $40 to $2, plus court costs.

About half of the people took the deal, grabbed their papers and left.

Others like Brian Brophy from Baltimore went to trial, which lasted less than five minutes. Love found Brophy guilty and ordered him to pay $40, plus $22.50 in court costs.

“I should’ve just saved my time and pleaded guilty with an explanation,” says Brophy. “It was unfair. Completely one-sided. Very frustrating.”

Paul Williams got his ticket on Good Luck Road in College Park and also lost his case.

“The trial is weighted against you. If the police officer says it’s calibrated properly, then that’s enough preponderance of the evidence for the judge. He didn’t show me any evidence it was calibrated correctly,” says Williams.

But Mike King, from the Eastern Shore, says he’s okay losing his case.

“The court was fair. They’re efficient and I think the officer was professional. I thought the evidence showed I was not guilty, but the judge thought differently. But the justice system works,” says King.

Not everyone lost.

Six tickets from Glenarden and New Carrollton were dismissed because no police officer showed up.

Three other drivers won their cases against police, including Chancelynn Walker of Silver Spring.

She received two tickets on Metzerott Road, one from College Park Police, one from Prince George’s County Police.

Judge Love threw out her ticket when she said the camera wasn’t placed closed enough to a school zone, as required under Maryland law.

“I guess I let life get in the way of contesting the tickets. So if I’m not guilty from now on, I will contest it, rather than just paying it,” says Walker.

She says the process was “fair, at least today.” But she will reserve final judgment until her second ticket is adjudicated.

Anthony McCloud of Clinton was one of two people whose tickets were dismissed because the speed camera misread the license plate.

“Somebody just made an honest mistake. They were fair about it. I am happy the judge ruled in my favor. He was fair to everybody,” says McCloud.

Prince George’s County Police Major Robert Liberati says only about 10 percent of speed camera tickets end up in court, and one percent of those tickets are dismissed.

In Montgomery County, about 0.3 percent of speed camera violators go to court, with about one percent of those tickets dismissed.

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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