James Tuton, ATS CEO (left), busted for lawbreaking thievery in this undated file photo.
…And they would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn’t for those meddling kids laws. Of course, Breaking the law while pretending to enforce it (for profit) is business as usual for American Traffic Solutions.
The headlines say it all. Miami Herald: “Legal challenges mount for Florida’s red-light cameras.” Daytona Beach News-Journal: “Red-light camera lawsuit looms.” Naples News: “[Suit claims] red-light cameras are unconstitutional.”
Jason Weisser, a West Palm Beach-based attorney, is filing a class action lawsuit in each of the 22 Florida municipalities that have recently installed red-light cameras or similar technology, claiming they are unconstitutional.
The officials getting sued seem to agree:
“Yeah, they have a legitimate claim,” County Attorney Jeff Klatzkow said. “I’m not saying they have a winning claim. Ultimately it will be up to a court to determine.”
Weisser says that counties and cities have no business passing laws about red-light running, which he says is the state’s responsibility. Collier County has installed 12 cameras since early April and has issued hundreds of $125 citations.
In Florida, local money-grubbing municipalities ignore state law to install automated ticketing machines— also known as deadly red light cameras— by sending out local “code violation” tickets. The article from Naples News continues:
The state does not allow red-light running cameras on state property, and the cameras used in cities and counties are not allowed to issue traffic citations. Instead, the municipalities that utilize the cameras mail out code violations to the owners of vehicles caught on camera running red lights.
As Shaggy would say: “Zoinks, it’s the creepy coin collector again!” Except all that coin they’re collecting might have to be refunded as the tide continues to turn against photo radar, red light cameras, and city officials who choose to conspire with private corporations against their constituents.
CameraFRAUD.com - The Cameras are Coming Down 
You gotta love it when these cities get ahead of themselves, collect a bunch of revenue, then spend it, and then get sued. For big class action lawsuits we’ve got cities in Washington, Florida, and some cities in Canada. How much longer until a big class action in AZ is launched? Surely there are some enterprising lawyers around!
There is a class action going in AZ redgarding the use of unlicensed (FCC) radar equipment, but that one won’t be as devastating as the big one that will eventually hit the state.
Karma Bitchez! I always KNEW this would happen. The conflicts with state law and constitutionality have been obvious for too long now. I have lived in Florida my entire life and might I say, I am certainly a proud Floridian now knowing that someone has the balls to go up against these bastards and bring this crap down in OUR state!!!!!
the lawyers become enterprising once they get paid !!
Video of the lawyer
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/aug/24/attorney-suing-collier-claiming-red-light-cameras-/
[…] RED LIGHT: ATS Future Uncertain in Florida « CameraFRAUD.com – The … […]
I guess your trip to Florida was a fruitful one LOL
You are right that lawyers are motivated by money, but that is also what creates the bogus laws like the photo radar scams because our legislators are motivated by special interest groups offering them money too. I always knew that we would have some common thoughts. I now offer you an official invitation to join us at one of our protests so that you can yell “FREEDOM” at the top of your lungs and get cheered on by the cars driving past as you wave your sign declaring CAMERA FRAUD at them.
[…] RED LIGHT: ATS Future Uncertain in Florida « CameraFRAUD.com – The … […]
[…] about American Traffic Solutions’ new legal nightmare in Florida in an article titled “RED LIGHT: ATS Future Uncertain in Florida:” The headlines say it all. Miami Herald: “Legal challenges mount for Florida’s red-light […]
Approximately 260,000 crashes per year occur from the deliberate running of red lights. There were 11,600 crashes in the state of Florida alone. Many avenues have been addressed in an attempt to solve this dilemma from the adjustment of timing signals to removing baseless traffic signals with no prevail.
Conventional procedures necessitate that law enforcement officers observe the violation, pursue, and ticket the driver. Automated enforcement alleviates the chase, however it hinders the driver’s right to due process, where both the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution come into play. Due process plays a significant role in the criminal justice system. It is the principle that the government must respect all of the legal rights that are owed to a person according to the law of the land, which are all of the laws in force within our country.
Polk County, Florida, was one of the first locations in the nation to conduct automated enforcement whereas warnings were issued to vehicle owners.
There have been varying reports in regards to success of the automated enforcement program. Some evaluation studies indicate significant reductions in the deliberate running of red lights where WSDOT Traffic and Operations Division reported that there was no significant decline especially where right angle crashes were concerned.
The issue at hand still remains are the due process rights of citizens being violated. Apparently our legislatures in Florida seem to believe so, as an attempt to pass law allowing photo enforcement died in committee during the Legislative Session in 1998. Recapitulating, there are no Automated Enforcement Laws in the state of Florida.
[…] facing a class-action lawsuit regarding constitutional issues in the Sunshine State, the news now is ATS has violated state law […]
[…] proof it’s all about the money: American Traffic Solutions pouts as a municipality fears increased litigation from red light camera and photo radar […]