Wolfson is right that we need to go back to higher penalties for speeding. Honestly, 15+ should be an automatic misdemeanor. 3 speeding tickets or more in two calendar years should result in 30 days in jail, period. Until then, speeders and reckless drivers will just keep doing what they’re doing, and the death toll on the roads will continue to rise exponentially.
I drive fast sometimes, and often see others driving much faster. As a PI attorney, I know for certain that driving habits are causing additional crashes. For the safety of the community, there needs to be more accountability. I believe this starts with eliminating the ability to have a ticket wiped away or reduced to a parking violation.
In cases where I am trying to prove a defendant was an unsafe driver (usually to argue the employer shouldn’t have hired that person to be a driver for their company), I can’t tell you the number of times I see a speeding ticket, or other tickets issued for unsafe driving that is later reduced to a parking ticket. (I’m not talking about citations for not having insurance or registration, etc., because those don’t help me prove my case). I have one case where the defendant has more than 15 unsafe driving citations within a 5 year period that were ALL reduced to a parking ticket. He is, of course, a professional driver, but I can’t use his reduced charges to show the truth–that the driver should not have been hired because he is unsafe.
There needs to be more accountability. If someone can get caught exhibiting unsafe driving behaviors countless times, and face no lasting repercussions, the law isn’t being effective at promoting safety or punishing dangerous drivers. I don’t think jailing people for the first driving infraction is appropriate, but at the rate we are currently going traffic tickets are unlikely to stick to anyone who drives unsafe.
Civil infractions
Bad mojo brought to you by the same folks who advocated for no bail. The legislature bent to the pressure.
The other bad attribute is that to contest the civil infraction you have to pay it in full before you can get a hearing.
Try Nora jones at Tiffany Bosco. Knew her in law school. She’ll know someone or be able to help. Tell her anonymous sent you.
Guest
Anonymous
October 22, 2025 1:17 pm
I recall somewhere around 2008-2012, that the DA’s office announced a policy that they would no longer negotiate speeding tickets to parking tickets. A friend of mine did criminal defense, and the story he told me was that the defense bar began setting all of their tickets as not guilty and demanding a jury trial. When the trial calendar started stretching out a few years immediately for all JC level cases, not just speeding tickets, the DA’s office relented and we went back to negotiating to parking tickets, and peace was restored but speeding had no real penalty again.
OP here – maybe I’m remembering the ‘jury’ part wrong and it was just set for bench trials. Either way he did say they set all tickets for trial instead of negotiations and it gummed up the system.
Guest
Anonymous
October 22, 2025 2:05 pm
the current system of letting the first one within 18 months be reduced and the rest start going on your record is a fair deal. my understanding is that anything above 100+mph is a felony.
maybe anything above 65 in residential should be reckless driving (if it isnt already).
most people here get speeding for small stuff like 45 in a 25 or 80 in 65. we shouldnt have to pay a pound of flesh equal as to those going 90+mph. just my 2 cents
Speed certainly has consequences, as stopping distances are increased and reaction windows are decreased. But i would argue that speed differential is a real killer. Going 45 in a 25 is much more dangerous than going 80-85 on the 215. (The latter is objectively dangerous) but going on the 215 you expect to see people going faster. A kid in a neighborhood or a pedestrian stepping off a curb is not going to expect 45 mph, and this is much more likely to kill or injure.
Guest
Anonymous
October 22, 2025 3:34 pm
Just saw a fellow personal injury attorney post something on Facebook about how “Boyd career services is useless.” A few other personal injury attorneys posted similar sentiments. As a Boyd alum, I feel the same. My law firm has attempted to utilize the OCI process to hire law clerks and future attorneys. My requests to participate either go unanswered, or we get maybe 1-2 applicants. What’s bizarre is that many law students claim to have a hard time finding jobs in the personal injury arena, whereas such employers are definitely looking. Is this a leadership issue at Boyd? I have nearly given up looking at our beloved law school. May of our anonymous posters here may troll about how Boyd is horrible, for which I disagree. I think what Boyd is lacking is leadership or drive in connecting with non-commercial litigation law firms or smaller PI law firms.
I would guess that’s it quite common at most law schools. At my law school, the person in charge of OCI is wonky academic with good intentions, but no hustle and no charm.
OCI’s should be run by a guy/gal who is 55, has made bank, wants to work 20 hours a week, can supervise the OCI staff. Plays a lot of golf/poker, has long, indulgent lunches with hiring partners. Has tickets to concerts and events (probably donated by alumni) that he uses to wine and dine the decision makers at law firms. Gets kids hired. This seems so obvious, yet the cloistered academics don’t get it.
Guest
anonymous
October 22, 2025 4:36 pm
How about the name of the person charged in the attack. Who is the victim? What about some details of the incident? Do aspiring reporters not learn about “who, what, when, where, why anymore? or was this article written by a bot?
Guest
Anonymous
October 22, 2025 4:42 pm
YE JUDGE RON ISRAEL, COMES AN AWARD OF FEES: City of Las Vegas wins award of attorneys’ fees in Lone Mountain Temple Lawsuit:
“For the foregoing reasons, it is ordered that the Court GRANTS Respondent City of Las Vegas’ Motion to for Attorney’s Fees in the amount of $55,759.00. It is further ordered that the Petitioner and its counsel are jointly and severally liable for the attorney’s fees.”
Good for Judge Israel. Taxpayers should not be on the hook for this misadventure.
re: Speeders
Wolfson is right that we need to go back to higher penalties for speeding. Honestly, 15+ should be an automatic misdemeanor. 3 speeding tickets or more in two calendar years should result in 30 days in jail, period. Until then, speeders and reckless drivers will just keep doing what they’re doing, and the death toll on the roads will continue to rise exponentially.
A misdemeanor for 80 on the highway…. gtfo
30 days in jail? lol
I drive fast sometimes, and often see others driving much faster. As a PI attorney, I know for certain that driving habits are causing additional crashes. For the safety of the community, there needs to be more accountability. I believe this starts with eliminating the ability to have a ticket wiped away or reduced to a parking violation.
In cases where I am trying to prove a defendant was an unsafe driver (usually to argue the employer shouldn’t have hired that person to be a driver for their company), I can’t tell you the number of times I see a speeding ticket, or other tickets issued for unsafe driving that is later reduced to a parking ticket. (I’m not talking about citations for not having insurance or registration, etc., because those don’t help me prove my case). I have one case where the defendant has more than 15 unsafe driving citations within a 5 year period that were ALL reduced to a parking ticket. He is, of course, a professional driver, but I can’t use his reduced charges to show the truth–that the driver should not have been hired because he is unsafe.
There needs to be more accountability. If someone can get caught exhibiting unsafe driving behaviors countless times, and face no lasting repercussions, the law isn’t being effective at promoting safety or punishing dangerous drivers. I don’t think jailing people for the first driving infraction is appropriate, but at the rate we are currently going traffic tickets are unlikely to stick to anyone who drives unsafe.
10:20 still wears a covid mask while driving alone in his car with thr windows up.
Civil infractions
Bad mojo brought to you by the same folks who advocated for no bail. The legislature bent to the pressure.
The other bad attribute is that to contest the civil infraction you have to pay it in full before you can get a hearing.
I don’t understand how the concept of having to pay for an infraction before you can even legitimately contest it does not violate due process
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill into law that blocks Golden State lawyers and firms from sharing contingency fees with out-of-state firms owned by non-lawyers
https://www.dailyjournal.com/article/388073-newsom-signs-bills-tightening-rules-on-legal-funding-lawyer-ads
Does anyone have a recommendation for an attorney in Arizona that can help with a probate/disability issue? In Tucson preferably.
Try Nora jones at Tiffany Bosco. Knew her in law school. She’ll know someone or be able to help. Tell her anonymous sent you.
I recall somewhere around 2008-2012, that the DA’s office announced a policy that they would no longer negotiate speeding tickets to parking tickets. A friend of mine did criminal defense, and the story he told me was that the defense bar began setting all of their tickets as not guilty and demanding a jury trial. When the trial calendar started stretching out a few years immediately for all JC level cases, not just speeding tickets, the DA’s office relented and we went back to negotiating to parking tickets, and peace was restored but speeding had no real penalty again.
Is there no way to set the max penalty low enough to escape the jury-trial right? Is this some state law issue?
That is a fairy tale. Obviously, no jury trials for misdomeanors. All tickets as not guilty? Sure.
OP here – maybe I’m remembering the ‘jury’ part wrong and it was just set for bench trials. Either way he did say they set all tickets for trial instead of negotiations and it gummed up the system.
the current system of letting the first one within 18 months be reduced and the rest start going on your record is a fair deal. my understanding is that anything above 100+mph is a felony.
maybe anything above 65 in residential should be reckless driving (if it isnt already).
most people here get speeding for small stuff like 45 in a 25 or 80 in 65. we shouldnt have to pay a pound of flesh equal as to those going 90+mph. just my 2 cents
Speed certainly has consequences, as stopping distances are increased and reaction windows are decreased. But i would argue that speed differential is a real killer. Going 45 in a 25 is much more dangerous than going 80-85 on the 215. (The latter is objectively dangerous) but going on the 215 you expect to see people going faster. A kid in a neighborhood or a pedestrian stepping off a curb is not going to expect 45 mph, and this is much more likely to kill or injure.
Just saw a fellow personal injury attorney post something on Facebook about how “Boyd career services is useless.” A few other personal injury attorneys posted similar sentiments. As a Boyd alum, I feel the same. My law firm has attempted to utilize the OCI process to hire law clerks and future attorneys. My requests to participate either go unanswered, or we get maybe 1-2 applicants. What’s bizarre is that many law students claim to have a hard time finding jobs in the personal injury arena, whereas such employers are definitely looking. Is this a leadership issue at Boyd? I have nearly given up looking at our beloved law school. May of our anonymous posters here may troll about how Boyd is horrible, for which I disagree. I think what Boyd is lacking is leadership or drive in connecting with non-commercial litigation law firms or smaller PI law firms.
It’s Boyd lip service to say there is a program for the purpose of helping its US News rating and funding.
I would guess that’s it quite common at most law schools. At my law school, the person in charge of OCI is wonky academic with good intentions, but no hustle and no charm.
OCI’s should be run by a guy/gal who is 55, has made bank, wants to work 20 hours a week, can supervise the OCI staff. Plays a lot of golf/poker, has long, indulgent lunches with hiring partners. Has tickets to concerts and events (probably donated by alumni) that he uses to wine and dine the decision makers at law firms. Gets kids hired. This seems so obvious, yet the cloistered academics don’t get it.
How about the name of the person charged in the attack. Who is the victim? What about some details of the incident? Do aspiring reporters not learn about “who, what, when, where, why anymore? or was this article written by a bot?
YE JUDGE RON ISRAEL, COMES AN AWARD OF FEES: City of Las Vegas wins award of attorneys’ fees in Lone Mountain Temple Lawsuit:
“For the foregoing reasons, it is ordered that the Court GRANTS Respondent City of Las Vegas’ Motion to for Attorney’s Fees in the amount of $55,759.00. It is further ordered that the Petitioner and its counsel are jointly and severally liable for the attorney’s fees.”
Good for Judge Israel. Taxpayers should not be on the hook for this misadventure.
A-24-899510-J
Clever. The only thing better would have been if you have posted it at 3:19.
only three months later
joint and several with counsel…..damn