The Rule of Strict Liability in Traffic Court

Posted on 
July 22, 2013
By 
No Comments

In the criminal justice system, almost all crimes require both a “bad act” and a “guilty mind.” You might have heard the Latin terms for these—“actus reas” and “mens rea”—on Law & Order. However, in traffic court, the rule of strict liability applies instead.

The Rule of Strict Liability in Traffic Court
Strict Liability in Traffic Court

Under the rule of strict liability, the crime you are accused of committing does not require intent. In other words, you can be found guilty whether or not you intended to commit the offense or not (as long as the prosecutor shows enough proof that you actually committed the offense).

Think about it: when was the last time a judge dismissed your NY speeding ticket because you told him, “Your Honor, I did not intend to be speeding”? Never; and that is because a conviction for speeding only requires you to be speeding, not to have the intent to speed.

In essence, there is no mental state required for a run-of-the-mill traffic violation. Simply breaking the law (innocently or willfully) is enough to get a ticket and be convicted in traffic court.

However, this is very different from most crimes. Intent is usually the crucial component that turns an innocent fire one negligently made into arson; a practical joke that ends badly into homicide; and accidentally walking out of a store holding an item you never put back into larceny.

When you get a ticket and show up to court, neither the prosecutor nor the judge will be interested in hearing that you did not know you were breaking the law or did not mean to break the law. Those are simply not defenses to a strict liability crime.

Similarly, in most criminal settings a “necessity” defense is grounds for a dismissal of the charges. However, not even a “necessity” defense works with most traffic tickets. For instance, if you tell the judge that you were speeding in order to avoid an accident—although it might help slightly in plea negotiations—that alone is not going to get you out of the ticket.

Most importantly, for drivers ticketed for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation (AUO) in New York, even if you are completely unaware of the fact that your license was suspended and had no intent to drive on a suspended license, you can be convicted.

Ultimately, the rule of strict liability in traffic court may seem harsh and unfair, but it is a rule every driver should be aware of before setting out on the open road.

Author Bio

Adam H. Rosenblum

Founding Attorney Of Rosenblum Law

Adam H. Rosenblum is an experienced and skilled traffic violations and criminal defense attorney. Mr. Rosenblum provides expert and aggressive representation to those facing points on their drivers’ licenses and the associated fines and surcharges.

Read Full Bio

No Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Free Consultation

Call us now for a quick, free, and no obligation colustion with one of our attorneys.
888-883-5529

Featured Experts

Kent Ng

NYPD (Ret.)
Read More

Mike Gheller

NYPD Officer
Read More

Travis Hall

NY State Police
Read More

Related Articles

Learn more about traffic tickets and criminal matters in New York and New Jersey.

NJ Drivers Bring Class Action Suit Over Red-Light Cameras

A class action lawsuit was recently filed against a New Jersey municipality for its improper use of red-light cameras. The...
Read More

Israeli App Could Help Drivers Avoid Traffic Tickets

A student at Hebrew University in Israel recently developed a mobile phone application that might help you avoid getting a...
Read More
July 20, 2012

The New York Driver Responsibility Assessment

New York began its Driver Responsibility Program in 2004. The goal was to place an additional financial burden on drivers who...
Read More
July 24, 2012

We've Fought Over 50,000 Traffic Ticket Cases

Call us now for a quick, free, and no-obligation consultation.
888-883-5529
chevron-down Free Consult Call Now linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram