Fail To Obey Sign "no Through Traffic Between 7-9am 4-6
I got a ticket Feb. 2009 in toronto downtown, appeared the trial a few days ago. I have sent in the request for disclosure in Sep. because until then I got to know this forum and read through a lot of posts. Here's what happened in court:
I told the Crown that I want a trial, she tried to push me to plea guilty with a lower charge, and I denied. Then she pulled out my request for disclosure and told me that she received it and she will give it to me now, I said there is not enough time for me to read it and prepare my defense and I insisted to go to the trial and discuss this in front the JP. Then my case was pushed all the way to the last until everyone else had left the court.
So before entering a plea, I asked for adjourn because of non-disclosure (I couldnt ask for a stay because there were only 8 months), both the Crown and the JP didnt agree, they kept saying it's a simple ticket and the officer will give me a copy of his notes, that would be a good enough disclosure. (Shame on them!) However I insisted that it's my right to get a proper disclosure and I need time to prepare my defense. In the end the JP agreed to adjourn the case, however, the new trial date is only 3 weeks away and is PEREMPTORY。After the trial the officer handed me a copy of his ticket and note (it's a good handwriting and readable, I must admit), the Crown asked me to sign indicating that I received the discloure.
Any suggestion? I might have to prepare the worst and defend myself in a hard way.
P.S.: I went to the intersection that I received the ticket right after the trial, and I found this:
1. There are 3 signs at the intersection, they all are regular "no through traffic between certain period of time" signs, however, I found that there are only "MON-FRI", not "MON-FRI/LUN-VEN", does it mean a bilingual defense will work?
2. I also walked back about 200 feet (around 60M), and tried to locate the signs, they are all blocked by tree branches and leaves, therefore cannot be seen from 60M. Will this work as sound defense? The cop may argue that he issued ticket in Feb, when all leaves were gone, thus the signs were visible at that time. His hand written note also says signs visible in 60M.