Like most college students, Jessica Cook of Miami Township doesn't have much spare change laying around to pay for traffic tickets.
"I didn't know how it was going to play out. I've never gotten out of a ticket before so I just figured take a roll with the dice," she said.
Jessica was pulled over for going 12 miles over the speed limit near the intersection of Alex Bell and Lamme road in Miami Township. When most of us get a speeding ticket, we typically pull out our check books and mail in the fine. But not Jessica. She pleaded not guilty at her initial court appearance and stood her ground at trial, running the risk of having to pay for court costs in addition to the orginal fine.
"I decided I wanted to fight it," she said.
It was a gamble that paid off. Jessica says the officer didn't come to court, so the prosecutor dismissed her speeding charge.
"I was actually really surprised when she came over and told me he was a no show," Jessica said.
Court documents don't detail why the officer wasn't there, but court clerks across the Miami Valley say its very rare for officers to not show up for trial.
"They show up for court. Attendance is very important whether it's a traffic offense or criminal case," said Officer Ron Roberts with Kettering Police.
"I would say 99% of the time that's not going to happen. So if you're standing before the court and you know you're guilty, the likelihood the officer is going to show up to court is extremely high. And if you were offered programs it may not be offered to you again, or if there was an offer made, it may not be made to you," said Dayton Municipal Magistrate Colette Moorman.
Moorman says if you truly believe you're not guilty, fight back and and tell your story in court. However if you know you're in the wrong, there are a few things you can do to make sure you're paying the least amount of money possible. Moorman says if you just have one charge, like speeding, it's cheaper to mail in your fine and not go to court.
"If you have several charges it may be in your best interest to come to court and see if the prosecutor will make you an offer. Typically they will if your record isn't bad. For instance, if you have three charges they may agree to dismiss two if you plead to one, which can significantly decrease how much you owe," Moorman said.
Moorman says if you have several tickets, negotiating with the prosecutor can save you several hundred dollars, but you'll most likely still be slapped with at least a small fine.