Lawyer Successfully Challenges His Own Speeding Ticket Over Typo

BOWIE, Md. (WJZ) -- A Bowie lawyer challenged his own speeding ticket in court---and won.

Suzanne Collins reports a typo in the law may lead to other cases being tossed out.

Not too many drivers like poring over the Annotated Code of Maryland Law, but one attorney did and got his $40 speed camera ticket thrown out on appeal.

"Most of my practice is civil litigation.  I have clients getting sued for $5 million, so to go out and try a case for $40, it's not going to be the end of the world," said attorney James Liskow.

Many of us know the feeling of racing to a destination, then seeing a flash in the rearview mirror and getting an ominous letter.  No police officer, no accuser in court,  just pay the money.  But that didn't sit right with James Liskow, Esquire.

"Because you don't have an officer of the law telling you when you did something wrong.  When you get a ticket, you don't like it, but I might fight that, too...but at least you have an officer telling you you've done wrong, they've observed it," he said.

Liskow discovered a typographical error in the speed camera law, where a "b" should have been a "d."  He claimed that mixup meant the ticket isn't valid.  A judge agreed.

"It may appear to be a typographical error but this is the law," he said.

Liskow believes anybody with a speed camera ticket that's pending in Montgomery County could also win their case.  He isn't sure what would happen in the other courthouses in Maryland.

If the law is flawed, the legislature can easily correct it next time they go in session.  For now, Liskow says he's basking in the admiration of his colleagues.

Montgomery County is one of the first to put up speed cameras.  Now many jurisdictions have them; Howard County added them last week.

No speed camera challenges have yet been appealed to Maryland's highest court.