Judge Finds St. Louis Red Light Camera Tickets Illegal May 24, 2011

As a St. Louis Traffic Lawyer, clients frequently ask me about the red light tickets they receive in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area.  Interestingly, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has reported that in 2009, several members of the public who received red light camera tickets in St. Louis filed appeals in the St. Louis City Circuit Court in downtown St. Louis.

Judge Mark Neil has handed down probably a first of its kind ruling in Missouri finding that the St. Louis City Municipal Red Light Camera Ticket Ordinance is illegal.  Essentially Judge Neill found that the local St. Louis City government lacked authority under the Missouri Constitution to enact an Ordinance dealing with the police powers normally reserved to the State and that since the State of Missouri did not authorize the City of St. Louis to enact such an Ordinance, the Ordinance is illegal and therefore void.

The City of St. Louis enacted its red-light camera ordinance in November 2005, and has a contract with a company to maintain the cameras at 51 intersections within the City Limits.

According to Judge Neill, through June 30, the St. Louis City Metropolitan Police Department had issued 267,777 notices, but the Police have not arrested anybody since the program started, nor has anyone been charged any more than the standard $100 fine.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch article may be viewed here.

We are St. Loius Traffic Lawyers handling all types of municipal and state violations in the State of Missouri.  Contact us for a free on-line consultation, or call 314.645.7900.