Off The Record - Fight Traffic Tickets & Win

#1 traffic ticket resolution service in the country

4.7 rating based on over 20,000 online reviews

More than 1 million traffic tickets and misdemeanors successfully handled

Over 1,000 skilled traffic attorneys available locally

Endorsed by commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders and professional drivers

Off The Record (OTR) is an app designed to contest your traffic citations, boasting a success rate of 97%. It operates seamlessly. Make sure you have it while driving!

No need to mail your citation, appear in court, or meet your attorney in person. Your lawyer manages all paperwork and handles the necessary tasks for you.

HOW IT WORKS

Utilizing the OTR app is straightforward. You can challenge a traffic ticket or misdemeanor in less than a minute:

1.Capture a photo of your citation

2.Answer a few easy questions

3.Receive your immediate quote

4.Confirm your case and allow your attorney to take over

After you confirm your case, your local traffic attorney will begin assisting you right away. They will provide real-time updates throughout the process, and you can communicate directly with your lawyer through the app.

There you go, you’ve contested a ticket without leaving your home!

MONEY BACK GUARANTEE

Our reputation for providing a Money Back Guarantee is well-known. Our associated attorneys agree that if your case does not succeed, the fee you paid will be refunded.

We offer the most favorable Money Back Guarantee in the field. You can find complete information regarding this policy elsewhere.

LEGAL ISSUES HANDLED

Traffic violations and misdemeanors are the core of OTR’s services. However, with a nationwide network of over 1,000 affiliated attorneys, the OTR platform manages a variety of cases each day:

- Traffic violations (speeding, cell phone use, HOV lane breaches, stop sign violations, red light infractions, etc.)

- Traffic misdemeanors (racing, driving with a suspended license, negligent or reckless driving, etc.)

- Driving under the influence (DUI / DWI)

- Possession of marijuana

- Drug paraphernalia offenses

- Public intoxication

- Indecent exposure

- Prostitution offenses

- And more…

OTR and our partner attorneys have also tackled some unusual cases, such as operating a tractor incorrectly on the highway or driving under unusual circumstances.

WHY CHOOSE OFF THE RECORD

— Best Value —

Legal costs for contesting traffic citations can vary widely. At OTR, our attorneys charge a fixed fee without any hidden charges.

— Smart Match —

This is our unique advantage. We don't randomly assign you an attorney; instead, our specialized Smart Match system evaluates past outcomes and trends to connect you with the lawyer most likely to win your case.

— Experienced —

We collaborate exclusively with highly rated and successful traffic attorneys in their respective areas.

TO FIGHT OR NOT TO FIGHT

— Financial Considerations —

A single speeding offense can raise your insurance rates by an average of $30/month for three years—notably totaling to $1,080! This financial burden increases with multiple infractions or as a young driver. Contesting your citation is a smart financial decision, especially since OTR offers a full refund if your case isn’t won.

— Employment Opportunities —

An increasing number of jobs require candidates to maintain a clean driving record. Don’t let a blemished record close doors for you. Always contest your citations!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

— Will my case be handled by a licensed lawyer? —

Yes! You will work directly with a qualified, experienced attorney in your region.

— What’s the cost involved? —

Download the app to receive an instant estimate. Your quote depends on various factors such as state and county of the citation, specific violations you’re charged with, and your type of license.

— How do attorneys get compensated? —

Partner attorneys determine their own fees, so the quote you see reflects the actual cost. Once you secure a case, the payment goes directly to your lawyer, and no further payments will be required.

I don't want to fight my ticket. Can I just pay the fine?

You can, but that is not the smart or financially savvy thing to do.

By paying the fine, you are automatically pleading guilty. The ticket will go on your record for 3-7 years, depending on your state, and your insurance company will be made aware of it. This is where the real harm happens.

Once your insurance company notices the ticket, your premiums will increase by an average of $39 per month for as long as the ticket is on your record. That's a total of $1,404 if the ticket stays on your record for 3 years, or $3,276 if it stays on your record for 7 years. Keep in mind that this is just an average. You could get lucky and not see any increase at all, or you could get very unlucky and see monthly increases of up to $100/month.

Everyday we get contacted by drivers who paid their fine months ago and are now dealing with the premium increases. They ask if we can fight the ticket for them, but unfortunately, by the time your insurance is aware of it there's nothing we can do.

You don't have to fight your ticket with us, but do consider contesting it one way or another before paying the fine.

Any chance you handle non-traffic criminal charges?

Glad you asked. And you've guessed it - yes we do! We count as partners some amazing criminal attorneys.

We've handled everything from marijuana possession (Yup, those states are still out there) and disorderly conduct, to indecent exposure (Both male and female, we know you were wondering) and prostitution (Again, male and female).

No matter what you were charged with, contact us. An attorney will review your case and we'll go from there. You won't be charged anything until you decide to book a case.

What about DUIs, suspended licenses, racing, and other misdemeanor charges?

We contest all of these and more!

When charged with a misdemeanor or felony, the stakes are much higher and choosing the right attorney is even more critical. We collect data on attorney track records, and when you book with us, you are matched with the attorney who's got the best track record for your specific type of case.

Most common misdemeanor/felony we handle: DUIs

Other common misdemeanors: Racing tickets, suspended license charges, negligent driving, reckless driving

Most unusual cases we've handled: Driving a tractor down the wrong side of the highway, driving butt naked.

We handle DUIs, racing tickets, suspended license charges, negligent driving, reckless driving and all other types of traffic misdemeanors and felonies on a daily basis.

Do you handle CDL tickets?

Yes. We contest CDL tickets in courts around the country every single day. We understand how important your driving record is to you, and what's on the line when you book a case.

CDL and professional drivers have come to trust OTR with their legal matters, and rely on us to obtain the most favorable resolutions. We'll always give your case the attention it deserves.

How To Get A Red Light Camera Ticket Dismissed in Washington State?

Remember that yellow light you screeched through a week ago? Well, actually, it was red – hence the ticket you just pulled out of your mailbox.

The Seattle Police Department and many other jurisdictions around Washington use cameras to enforce stopping at red lights for safety and to prevent accidents. These red light photographic devices work by triggering a camera as a vehicle passes over a sensor in the intersection when the light is red. The camera takes pictures of the driver and the vehicle’s front license plate. A citation is subsequently mailed to the vehicle’s registered owner after the police department verifies the photo of the driver against the driver’s license photo of the registered owner.

At this point, you have a couple of choices. If it wasn’t you driving, you can advise the court of that fact. You can pay the fine. Or you can try to get the red light camera ticket dismissed.

A driver who gets a red light camera ticket in Washington State has 15 days to choose from among these options.

How Much Is A Red Light Camera Ticket?

The fine for running a red light is a maximum of $48, plus various fees. However, depending on the circumstances, a red light camera violation could lead to a reckless driving or speeding conviction.

How Do I Dispute A Red Light Camera Ticket?

There are a few ways to fight a red light camera ticket. Let’s take a look at each of these in detail.

Filing A Declaration of Non-Responsibility

One of the very first things you should do when disputing a red light camera ticket is to obtain the photographs. In some jurisdictions, these photos are mailed to you with the citation. But in King County, you’re required to have the notice number and PIN provided on the ticket to access the videos and still photos of your incident online. When you see the pictures from the red light camera incident, check to see if the picture of the driver looks like you and whether the license plate number can be read clearly.

With this information, you can try to beat the red light camera ticket by proving that you weren’t driving the vehicle at the time of the ticket. To do this, you must submit a Declaration Of Non-Responsibility. This document is a sworn statement that says that your vehicle was stolen, you sold it before the date of the violation, or it was otherwise not in your custody or control at the time of the violation.

In Seattle and other municipalities, it is presumed that you were driving the vehicle at the time of the red light camera violation, so the burden’s on you to prove otherwise.

Requesting a Mitigation Hearing to Explain the Circumstances

Another option is to ask for a mitigation hearing.

If you request a mitigation hearing, you’ll be deemed to have committed the infraction. You don’t get to subpoena witnesses for this hearing.

The reason for requesting a mitigation hearing is that you agree you committed the infraction but think that the situation may be such that the court could reduce or waive the penalty. Know that the judge has the discretion to reduce your fine based on your explanation, the officer's report, and your prior traffic or criminal history, including any previous tickets you’ve received (even those that have been dismissed).

If the judge decides to reduce the penalty, be prepared for a small reduction. That’s because a large percentage of each fine must go to the State. The county only keeps a small portion of each fine.

Contesting the Red Light Camera Ticket at a Full Hearing

The most common way to try to get out of a red light camera ticket is to contest the infraction. This is where you can truly “fight” your ticket.

At a contested hearing, the government has to show by a preponderance of the evidence that you committed the infraction. At this hearing, you have the opportunity to subpoena witnesses, including the officer who issued the Notice of Infraction.

If you request a contested hearing, the court will also schedule a pre-hearing conference. This pre-hearing conference may be waived. To do so, you can use the form attached to the Notice of Hearing sent by the court.

This type of hearing is similar to a small trial, where a judge will hear motions and arguments from your attorney (or from you if you don’t hire a lawyer) and from the prosecuting attorney—if she attends. Some prosecutors opt not to appear at contested hearings. In either case, the parties will present testimony and any other evidence.

You’ll challenge the sufficiency of the report, subpoena the officer to appear at the hearing to testify or offer evidence on your behalf. You can choose to testify for yourself if you want. In some cases, the county or city’s prosecuting attorney will subpoena the officer who wrote the ticket to testify, but typically, they’ll just rely on the officer's report.

After hearing all of the evidence, the judge will make a finding as to the red light camera traffic infraction—whether you must pay the fine or successfully get out of the ticket.

Standard Red Light Ticket Defenses

There are several defenses that drivers will use to fight a red light camera ticket. Let’s look at each one in detail:

Camera operation. Red light cameras are usually accurate, but there could be a malfunction with the red light camera that was used in your incident. A red light camera can be set off despite the driver not actually running the red light. A red light camera violation in Washington is typically proven when, at a red light, the driver fails to come to a complete stop before reaching the nearest of either a limit line, the crosswalk, or entering the intersection. At the hearing, the police officer or a prosecutor is required to provide evidence of how the device works and that it was working properly on the day your red light camera citation was issued. Also, the prosecutor must also present the camera’s photos showing the vehicle’s license plate and the driver, along with the driver’s license photo of the vehicle’s registered owner.

No authentication of clear images. If the images are clear, you can consider mounting the following defense: if no employee from the company that maintains the red light camera device shows up to testify, you can object to the photos being admitted into evidence for lack of foundation. If the photographs are excluded, there is no evidence to convict you. On the other hand, if the judge allows the photos in evidence over this objection, you may later have grounds for an appeal if found guilty.

Unclear images. If the photos are allowed into evidence but the images are not clear, you can consider challenging the photo’s clarity, arguing that the evidence isn’t convincing enough to convict you.

Police direction or yielding to an emergency vehicle. You were told by a law enforcement officer to go through the red light. This can happen when an emergency vehicle is responding to a call but the roadway is blocked with cars. The police vehicle can’t get through, so the officer gets on his megaphone to tell those in front of him to proceed through the red light. The same is true if you must yield to an emergency vehicle which causes you to run a red light.

Avoiding an accident. If you can show that you ran the light to avoid a serious accident or harm to others, you have a valid argument, and the judge may find that you’re not guilty. You acted out of “necessity” or for the public good, which may be a strong reason to find you not guilty.

Inadequate signage. Washington has specific rules requiring signs to be posted at any intersection or zone where red light cameras are in operation. A possible defense is that the required signs weren’t posted at the intersection or that those that were posted failed to satisfy the legal requirements.

Turning right on a red light. Provided there isn’t a sign specifically restricting it, Washington law allows a driver to make a right turn after stopping at a red light. You’ll have to show that you came to a complete stop—which may be difficult with still photos— and that you observed the right-of-way rules when negotiating the turn.

Deferral

Another option for disposing of a red light camera ticket is a deferral. Washington State lets you defer a moving violation and a non-moving violation once every seven years, but this is at the judge's discretion. A deferral allows the infraction will be dismissed at the end of the deferral period provided you meet the terms of the deferral. Every jurisdiction in Washington has its own deferral rules, so contact the court directly or check their website.