How to Fight an Inspection Sticker Ticket
- 1). Take your vehicle to an official inspection station and have it inspected as soon as possible after you receive a ticket for expired inspection.
- 2). Take the receipt for your vehicle inspection, along with the ticket for expired inspection, to the office of the district attorney in the county where the ticket was issued. Present the receipt and ticket and request that your ticket be dismissed. In many states and counties, this is all that is required to have an expired inspection ticket dismissed.
- 3). Attend your specified court date if you are not successful in getting your ticket dismissed. Arrive early. When the assistant district attorney (ADA) requests that anyone who wishes to speak with the district attorney's office concerning your ticket come forward, follow instructions.
- 4). Present your receipt for vehicle inspection to the ADA and discuss your desire to have your ticket dismissed or the charges reduced. The ADA may dismiss your ticket, reduce the charges and instruct you to remain in the courtroom, or may refuse to change the ticket at all.
- 5). Remain in the courtroom if your ticket was not dismissed. After the judge enters the courtroom and court is convened, the ADA will read the list of names of those who must appear before the judge. Acknowledge when your name is called.
- 6). Stand before the judge when you are called forward. If your ticket has not been dismissed, plead guilty when the judge asks you how you plead. If a plea agreement has been reached, the judge will usually accept the plea and advise you of your costs. You will be instructed where to wait or where to pay, according to the manner in which your local court is operated.
- 7). If the charge is not reduced or dismissed, and you still feel like fighting the ticket, you can request a continuance. A continuance increases the chance that the officer who wrote the ticket may not be able to attend the future court date. You will have to give a legitimate reason for the continuance, however, such as being out of town. Keep in mind that attending court takes time away from your other matters and may eventually not be worth the trouble. If you get to that point, acknowledge guilt and pay the fine.