Kingston, RI asked in Traffic Tickets for Rhode Island

Q: Can a video tape of a speeding car taken by a civilian be used to give the driver a ticket?

If I saw a car speeding and managed to get a video of it along with its license plate could I turn that into the police and could they use it to give the driver a ticket? If so how long would I have to turn in the tape?

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1 Lawyer Answer
Neville Bedford
Neville Bedford
Answered
  • PROVIDENCE, RI
  • Licensed in Rhode Island

A: Wikipedia informs: Rhode Island

In 2001, the Rhode Island Supreme Court ruled in Diane S. Cronan ex rel. State v. John J. Cronan that a private citizen could file criminal complaints for misdemeanors. However, prosecution of felonies remains limited to the state. Private prosecutors also cannot seek penalties of greater than one year of incarceration or a fine of greater than $1,000. source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_prosecution#Rhode_Island This is a rare occurrence and enforcement of administrative violations are best left to law enforcement as it is most unlikely your video camera is calibrated and certified for use as evidence. Report the offense to your local police and leave it to them

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