Any lawyers here?

[fromunda kid]

I need some advice about taking a traffic ticket defender to court. On my invoice it clearly states that if they don't win it's free. Well they didn't win but they got my ticket reduced. I called them to see if they will honor their advertisement and the receptionist said that this was an old invoice and the "we win or it's free" slogan cannot be used by paralegals anymore.
The ticket ended up costing me more than it was worth after fee's and such.
Do I have a valid case against them?

[ullyeus]

What does "win" mean I suppose...many people would consider a reduction a win.

[VivienM]

I need some advice about taking a traffic ticket defender to court. On my invoice it clearly states that if they don't win it's free. Well they didn't win but they got my ticket reduced. I called them to see if they will honor their advertisement and the receptionist said that this was an old invoice and the "we win or it's free" slogan cannot be used by paralegals anymore.
The ticket ended up costing me more than it was worth after fee's and such.
Do I have a valid case against them?

There's at least one lawyer here (hi Nikita!), but you'll never get a legal opinion out of any properly qualified lawyer on a public Internet forum.

The Rules of Professional Conduct would have a field day...

[pintobean]

My understanding of the old "we win or it's free" slogan was always that the ticket would be free if they didn't win; meaning that they'd pay your fine if they lost the court case.

Your misunderstanding of the slogan is a perfect explanation for why they are no longer permitted to use it in their advertising.

[thelefteyeguy]

hint...those ticket fighters are usually not a lawyer ;)

[fromunda kid]

My understanding of the old "we win or it's free" slogan was always that the ticket would be free if they didn't win; meaning that they'd pay your fine if they lost the court case.

Your misunderstanding of the slogan is a perfect explanation for why they are no longer permitted to use it in their advertising.

Yet it's on my invoice. They should honor it or their slogan should be "we settle or it's free". Having a ticket reduced should not be considered a "win" especially if the end result will cost a client more money. Can anyone direct me to someone who can give me some legal advice?

[VivienM]

Can anyone direct me to someone who can give me some legal advice?

If you're in Ontario, the Law Society of Upper Canada has a 1-900 number where for something like $6-10, you can talk to a lawyer for 20-30 minutes, IIRC. Look on their web site (www.lsuc.on.ca) for the Lawyer Referral Service.

[pintobean]

Yet it's on my invoice. They should honor it or their slogan should be "we settle or it's free". Having a ticket reduced should not be considered a "win" especially if the end result will cost a client more money. Can anyone direct me to someone who can give me some legal advice?
OK wait a minute...
Did you end up having to pay the fine out of your own pocket?
Or did the ticket defender pay the fine for you?

If the ticket defender paid the fine for you, then they have fulfilled their end of the agreement (they promised you that the ticket would be free if they didn't win, and since they didn't win, they paid for the ticket).

On the other hand, if they refused to pay the fine for you and you ended up having to pay it yourself, then you may have an arguable case here...

The problem is that a very important part of your story is missing...what did they say when you first signed up with them? Did they explain their policy to you? Did you ask them about it?

[Nikita]

There's at least one lawyer here (hi Nikita!), but you'll never get a legal opinion out of any properly qualified lawyer on a public Internet forum.

The Rules of Professional Conduct would have a field day...

Exactly.

If you're in Ontario, the Law Society of Upper Canada has a 1-900 number where for something like $6-10, you can talk to a lawyer for 20-30 minutes, IIRC. Look on their web site (www.lsuc.on.ca) for the Lawyer Referral Service.

$6 for 30 minutes...after that you'll actually have to pay for a lawyer (yeah I know...shock and awe...:rolleyes: ).

[fromunda kid]

I got a disposition letter in the mail stating that the fine was reduced and that I have to make payment to the traffic courts plus an added surcharge for court fees to which I do not know the amount. The fine was reduced from $250 to 47.50 but the traffic ticket defenders charged me $250 (the amount of the traffic offense) the points were also lowered from 4 to 3.
I was under the impression that they would at least save me my points but in the end this has cost me more than just paying for the ticket.
One other thing, the receptionist tells me that on her computer.. it says that my case had no guarantees whatever that means but on my invoice nothing like that is stated and it's the first I've heard of it. If they had told me to begin with that there were no guarantees I would have taken my business elsewhere.

[boyoflondon]

I got a disposition letter in the mail stating that the fine was reduced and that I have to make payment to the traffic courts plus an added surcharge for court fees to which I do not know the amount. The fine was reduced from $250 to 47.50 but the traffic ticket defenders charged me $250 (the amount of the traffic offense) the points were also lowered from 4 to 3.
I was under the impression that they would at least save me my points but in the end this has cost me more than just paying for the ticket.
One other thing, the receptionist tells me that on her computer.. it says that my case had no guarantees whatever that means but on my invoice nothing like that is stated and it's the first I've heard of it. If they had told me to begin with that there were no guarantees I would have taken my business elsewhere.

Dude ... open your eyes!!

Yes, you paid "more" now, but how much do you save in the long run? Paying more for insurance for 3 points and 4 points makes a difference!!

+++ $250 ticket as opposed to $250 for paralegal & $47.50+court fees (roughly $60ish) and you are complaining ... you do understand that you are pretty much complaining for the new price of your reduced ticket.


On the side note, I don't know of a single ticket that carries 3 points and has the cost of $60ish ....

All the tickets in that range (ie. 15km/h over) carry no points ... you better check your ticket again.

[lowbalt]

That's pretty pathetic... I'm pretty sure if you go there without paralegal help they will still reduce the ticket... My advice would have been to go there and talk to the cop and talk out a deal (doesn't always work though)

[knapper]

Yes, you paid "more" now, but how much do you save in the long run? Paying more for insurance for 3 points and 4 points makes a difference!!

Does insurance consider points? I am not aware that it does. My understanding is it considers types and numbers of convictions.

[fromunda kid]

That's pretty pathetic... I'm pretty sure if you go there without paralegal help they will still reduce the ticket... My advice would have been to go there and talk to the cop and talk out a deal (doesn't always work though) This is what really bothers me. The ticket defenders know that I would have gotten the same results if I had defended myself.

Does insurance consider points? I am not aware that it does. My understanding is it considers types and numbers of convictions.
And no they don't look at points, at least mine doesn't. They know that If I have a speeding ticket that there is a good chance that the ticket has been reduced anyway. A 10 over is no different than a 30 over in their eyes, it's speeding regardless.

I called the paralegal and left her 2 messages and yet she won't return my phone calls. I drove by there and they removed their "we win or it's free" sign...

[Nikita]

This is what really bothers me. The ticket defenders know that I would have gotten the same results if I had defended myself.




Then why didn't you? Why come here complaining afterwards?

[Flyhigh]

lmao +1

Then why didn't you? Why come here complaining afterwards?

[Shaner]

Dude ... open your eyes!!

Yes, you paid "more" now, but how much do you save in the long run? Paying more for insurance for 3 points and 4 points makes a difference!!

+++ $250 ticket as opposed to $250 for paralegal & $47.50+court fees (roughly $60ish) and you are complaining ... you do understand that you are pretty much complaining for the new price of your reduced ticket.



Do you understand that points don't affect insurance rates whatsoever? The only thing that affects insurance is convictions. So a conviction with 3 points is treated exactly the same as a conviction with 8 points. The insurance won't even pay attention to points, that's a ministry thing only.

So yeah, the OP got completely screwed, not because of any slogan or guarantee, but because he went to one of these ticket fighting agencies in the first place. All of them are exactly the same. The only thing they do is reduce the ticket, sometimes get a couple points knocked, and then they tell you what a good job they did and that you'll save tons of $$$ on insurance, which isn't true.

Stay away from ticket fighting agencies!