Lake Forest Park judge reduces fines, grants deferred findings and upholds one contested ticket at Nov. 12 mitigation calendar

Lake Forest Park Municipal Court Judge Grant presided over a mitigation calendar on Nov. 12, 2025, addressing a series of photo-enforcement and moving-violation cases. In several matters the judge offered or granted deferred findings, reduced fines for first-time offenders or those reporting financial hardship, and dismissed one citation. In a contested hearing, the court found the evidence sufficient and imposed the full double-penalty amount.

The session began with Judge Grant explaining the court’s deferred-finding option — a six-month period of no moving violations and a $175 administrative fee — that can keep an infraction off a driver’s record if eligibility requirements are met. "A deferred finding...would be an opportunity to keep this infraction off of your criminal, your driving record," Judge Grant said during the calendar opening.

Several drivers accepted mitigation or deferred findings. Sarah Al Yacine accepted a deferred finding for an HOV-lane citation after confirming she had insurance at the time of the stop; the court dismissed the proof-of-insurance charge and set the deferred-finding paperwork with $175 due in 30 days. Angela Manning also accepted a deferred finding after the court determined she was eligible.

Other drivers received reduced penalties. Donna Lundquist, cited at 37 mph in a 25-mph school walk zone, told the court she reviewed video clips and was surprised by the speed reading; citing her financial hardship, Judge Grant reduced the penalty to $60 and allowed payment plans. Marina Long Ching and Kristen McWilliams — each recorded at 6 mph over a school-zone limit — had fines reduced to $75. Peter Sheehy, who told the court he is recovering from medical issues and under financial strain, received a $50 reduction. Hans Ojolito’s first violation was reduced to $50, and several other first-time offenders received reductions adjusted for hardship.

One defendant, Catherine Bruckner, requested a contested hearing on a citation showing a 32-mph reading in an active school speed zone. Bruckner testified she did not recall speeding and suggested calibration or other vehicles could have affected the reading: "I believe that it's quite possible that the calibration...could have been affected by other vehicles passing by my vehicle," she said. Judge Grant reviewed the notice of infraction, the three photos and the video, and cited the city’s evidence and device maintenance records. "The materials for the speed-measuring devices are all posted as public records on the court website. They're maintained and calibrated regularly," the judge said. After weighing the evidence under the preponderance standard, the court found the violation proven and imposed the $290 penalty (a double penalty applied for more than 11 mph over the limit).

Other contested or mitigation resolutions included a company-vehicle matter involving Ibrahim McJared of EJ Football Training, where the court declined a late request to continue so counsel could be consulted and instead accepted mitigation, reducing one violation to $90. Scott Lawrence received a $100 reduction on a red-light photo violation after he said he was looking at GPS en route to a funeral.

The court noted that most photo-enforcement citations do not go onto a driver’s Department of Licensing record, although moving violations remain on the record unless a deferred finding is granted. Court staff will mail updated invoices or deferred-finding agreements with payment options and deadlines (commonly 30 days; several matters listed Dec. 20 as an initial payment date for time-payment plans).

The calendar concluded after Judge Grant resolved the listed matters and confirmed mailed notices and payment instructions would follow. A list of case outcomes from the Nov. 12 calendar is below.