Sweeping change in Indiana law makes traffic tickets more costly

VALPARAISO | Porter Superior Judge David Chidester said a sweeping change in state law has brought an end to his attempts to rein in young traffic offenders and those charged with driving at particularly high speeds.

Chidester said he and other judges who handle traffic-related offenses, no longer are allowed to order the biggest share of accused traffic offenders into court and apply special sanctions if the motorists simply want to pay their tickets instead.

The change, he said, is part of a wider restructuring by state lawmakers that increased the cost of tickets for moving violations from $123 to $150. The change took effect July 1.

Legislators also set a flat $150 fee for those who challenge their tickets in court, Chidester said. Judges used to have the discretion to either charge less or up to hundreds more if a motorist loses at trial.

The cost jumps to $365 for those with a prior ticket within the past five years who lose at trial and goes to $614.50 for those with two prior tickets in five years.

"It was too broad-brushed," Chidester said of the changes.

In hopes of heading off problems, Chidester said he intends to place a detailed explanation of the changes and new procedures on his court's website at www.porterco.org/index.php?id=court4.

Chidester, who lobbied against the changes in the law, argued in a column in The Times in February that the only ones who stand to benefit from the changes are extremely poor and dangerous drivers. This group can pay the flat fee without having to hear from a judge.

Chidester, along with Porter Superior Judge Julia Jent, have ordered young traffic offenders to take the bus rather than drive to school. He said he also has ordered offenders to defensive driving school and lectured them in court.

Chidester also responded to the state changes by doing away with evening traffic court and having police officers sequestered in the jury room on trial day so the accused cannot base their decision on whether to go ahead with a trial based on whether the officer shows up. If an officer does not show up, cases are dismissed.