Arlington General District Court — Local services in Arlington

Nice and polite staff, on-time checkout. But my complaint is for the overall process. The time the police stopped me and accused me of not stopping at the stop sign, I thought it was a prank! Not only had I stopped at the stop sign, but also the officer was not looking in my direction when I turned the curb and reached him. He was talking with another driver who had been stopped before me. When he issued the ticket, I felt it was a fundraising program!!! Five other cars were stopped before me, and all received tickets. In court, I felt the same; it was a fundraising program!!! So strange!!! English is my fourth language. I have been in the USA for three years. I can talk (of course sometimes can’t recall appropriate words and phrases) and write, but slow in processing what I hear. The officer claimed, 'The lady didn’t slow down at the stop sign; she said there were no cars then I didn’t stop.' It was a lie; I never said I didn’t stop. I said I stopped, checked, there was no vehicle, then I turned. Then the judge asked me if I had anything to say to the officer. I said yes and asked another question, 'How did you notice I didn’t stop while you were talking to another driver?' After my time finished and I was judged guilty, I realized what the officer said, 'She said I did not stop.' Funny experience. I'm okay with paying the fine, but I didn’t want to have a record of a violation I didn’t commit. Overall, don’t go to court; it just wastes your time. You will be recognized as guilty anyway because obviously the judge won't accept that the...

Concerns About Ticketing Practices in Arlington County, VA.

It has come to my attention that there are troubling developments regarding ticketing practices in Arlington County, VA. Despite the ban on ticketing quotas, there are reports that some police officers are focusing more on issuing traffic tickets than on protecting and serving the community. Particularly concerning is the alleged profiling of drivers with nicer vehicles, resulting in a disproportionate number of tickets being issued to them.

The traffic ticket judges in Arlington County reportedly tend to side with the police officers, leading to perceptions that the system is set up to extort money from the public. This approach gives the impression of a concerted effort to exploit residents financially, which many feel is turning Arlington County into a less desirable place to live.

It appears that, in the absence of major crimes, the courts and law enforcement may be resorting to these questionable tactics to justify their activities. This practice, if true, undermines public trust and damages the relationship between the community and law enforcement. Immediate attention and corrective action are necessary to ensure that the principles of fairness and justice are upheld in...

The traffic court division of this jurisdiction needs to be formally investigated for fraud upon the court. When judges begin refusing to accompany their decisions with any explanation, as I witnessed today, a breach of impartiality is suspected.

No justice here for victims of power-hungry cops alleging menial infractions (looking at you, Officer Restino). Judge appears to be just another pawn in the Arlington County police department's despicable scheme to fundraise through issuing false traffic citations. Presented with mounds of photo evidence to contradict the officer's verbal testimony (during which he later admitted to recalling information incorrectly), the judge ruled guilty and refused to provide a basis for his decision... can you say CORRUPTION!? Don't even bother with the DA- sadly, she's just there for show. It's a justice system that has not only failed to protect the rights of law abiding citizens, but actively condones flagrant impingement upon the wellbeing of innocent individuals the DOJ is charged with protecting.

If you've experienced this sort of injustice in Arlington County traffic court or are a legal professional who wants to see this system reformed,...