Fifteenth JDC Judge Glennon Everett ruled Wednesday that Lafayette Consolidated Government’s traffic programs are constitutional. Tossing out all but one aspect of the suit, that pertaining to the use of a "boot" to immobilize the vehicles of drivers who don’t pay their traffic fines (which Lafayette has not used), Everett ruled against the 41 local residents who claim the programs violate the Constitution.
The residents argued that LCG’s SafeSpeed and SafeLight systems should not be allowed to go on because they treat traffic violations as civil rather than criminal matters. According to The Advocate:
The residents argued that Lafayette’s camera-enforcement program is contrary to state law because the program treats traffic tickets as civil violations, meaning the alleged violator is not given the same protections as a criminal defendant.
The lawsuit also alleges that sending notices of SafeLight/SafeSpeed violations through the mail violates state law provisions on how civil court papers should be served.
Civil complaints are generally served personally.
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