Judge McMahon reduces fines, sets payment plans and dismisses one case at Lake Forest Park mitigation calendar

Judge Pro Tem Abby McMahon presided over the Lake Forest Park Municipal Court mitigation and contested infraction calendar on Jan. 15, 2025, and issued rulings on a series of photo-enforcement and speeding citations.

The hearing produced a mix of outcomes: the judge reduced several fines (most commonly to $75), granted payment schedules in many matters, allowed deferred findings in qualifying speeding cases, and dismissed one citation after a sworn statement that the cited person had not been the driver.

Why it matters: The court’s rulings affect how photo-enforcement citations are resolved locally and show how mitigation calendars are used to balance enforcement with ability to pay, record consequences and first-time deferral eligibility.

Key outcomes

- Todd Bonine (case 240252347), charged with a photo-enforced speed infraction in a school zone on Nov. 14, 2024, told the court he was driving 33 mph on a Sunday and asked for leniency. McMahon reduced the fine to $75 and allowed one month to pay. Bonine said, “It seems like a pretty severe fine for 8 miles over the speed limit on a Sunday when school is not in session.”

- Hong In Kai (case 240270174), who faced a red-light photo enforcement ticket from Nov. 27, 2024, admitted poor judgment and asked for a reduction. The judge reduced the fine to…