Lake Forest Park Municipal Court handled a full infraction calendar on Jan. 12, 2026, hearing a string of photo-enforcement speeding cases and resolving most by mitigation, payment plans or dismissal.

Judge Jennifer Grant opened the remote session and reviewed the difference between contested hearings and mitigation — contested hearings review the city's photos and certified device records under a preponderance standard, while mitigation is an admission used to request penalty reduction. The court repeatedly offered reduced penalties, payment plans and a community-service option in lieu of payment.

The most contested case, brought by Gawas (Gowas) Hassan, challenged a school-walk-zone citation that the city recorded as 31 mph in a posted 25-mph area. Hassan said dash-cam video would show he was traveling “19 miles an hour when the light flashes” and offered to present his own video and speed readout. The judge reviewed the city's photos and video and the officer’s sworn statement referencing RCW 46.61.400 and Lake Forest Park municipal code signage and found the city had proved the violation by a preponderance. Rather than require payment, Hassan asked for alternatives; the judge converted the $145 penalty to seven hours of community service with a 60-day completion deadline and directed the court to mail the community-service form.

A lengthy dispute raised by Timothy O’Brien — who described personal hardship caring for a family member with cancer and said multiple family members had received camera tickets — focused on notice, mailed collection letters and the city’s use of a collections firm. O’Brien argued the program was unfair and said a collection letter from an attorney had caused distress. Judge Grant acknowledged the hardship and the mailing issues, urged O’Brien to provide a corrected address, and exercised discretion to dismiss the particular violation before the court while noting the underlying evidence would have supported a finding.

Several other defendants requested mitigation and received reduced penalties: first-time school-walk-zone or similar citations were commonly reduced to $75; higher-speed or repeat infractions were reduced to lower amounts (examples include reductions to $90 or $60 depending on the case). In multiple cases the court allowed payment in two installments (first payment due Feb. 20) or conversion to community service at $20 per hour. The court also explained that company-registered vehicles (for example Viking Plumbing) are liable unless the company identifies the actual driver.

The court addressed administrative matters as well, finding failures to appear for two defendants (Gonzales Ramirez and David Eden) where notices were mailed to the addresses those defendants had provided, and imposing default penalties. Judge Grant explained the court’s delinquency and collections process, including that the city may use Verra Mobility and forward matters to a collection firm (Linebarger) if deadlines are not met.

What happens next: the court will mail updated invoices or community-service forms to the defendants, set February 20 as a common payment deadline for mitigated fines, and defendants retain the right to appeal contested findings.

Quotes from the hearing reflect positions and rulings: Judge Grant, explaining the contested-hearing standard, said the city must prove violations “by a preponderance” and noted that the court would consider mitigating circumstances such as unfamiliarity with the roadway or financial hardship. Hassan, presenting his dash-cam evidence, said, “This is the video I downloaded the second because when it flashed … my speed on dash cam is 19 miles an hour,” and O’Brien, addressing the camera program and collection notices, described the number of family tickets as “obscene.”

The court adjourned the infraction calendar after addressing all scheduled matters and directing staff to mail notices and forms to the affected parties.