How to Represent Yourself in Traffic Court: A Unique Perspective

This is definitely not your expected courtroom article but then, not every day can be spent in legal action. Personally, I love Wing Tsun Kung Fu. It is my secret weapon against boredom. I have studied it for years, and it teaches you to focus, understand your opponent, use your environment, and comprehensive approaches to representing yourself in traffic court in the best possible manner. Do I use it to defend myself from traffic tickets? Not directly, but it has made me sharper, a bit easier to adjust, and allows me to spot strategy like I do when defending myself.

With the constant, if not daily, stress surrounding my professional life, the ability to release all that pent up energy and focus it into a powerful punch when I “spar” with my partner in Giza is a great benefit to my focus and workflow. You’d be surprised what you can do with a 20 minute study session if you know how to represent yourself in traffic court, Kung Fu style.

Wing Tsun Kung Fu was developed in 1850 by Yip Man. It received international recognition after Bruce Lee popularized it in the 1970s. Since then, it has been taught worldwide. Wing Tsun Kung Fu requires superior mental focus, discipline, and precise verbal communication skills along with physical combat skills. In self-defense and explaining the system, the verbal communication is key, not so much when presenting a case in traffic court, however, Kung Fu does teach you how to approach the matter, prepare for it, and how to rebound, both in the dojo and in court.

Traditionally, discipline in martial art training teaches more than just physical combat. It teaches general discipline as well, discipline which is beneficial when preparing to represent yourself in traffic court. You start off with simply following your Sensei and letting him or her lead you, trusting and obeying them until you know the material well enough to start making your own choices, and start looking at your options.

Let’s break it down. The principles of martial arts have a number of lessons to teach courtroom strategy: My Sensei, Herr Oberhawer, has taught me that I should always be aware of my surroundings, stay calm, and remove any distractions from my environment. To me, the same thing – with a slightly different emphasis – applies whether you know how to represent yourself in traffic court, martial arts dojos, or the office. All of these places, whether in court or elsewhere, are always going to contain distractions, both from the outside, and within.

If you’re in a courtroom, the likely distractions include: Within this context, by extension, prisoners in the courtroom, witnesses, a helpful bailiff, or even the judge, can distract from the case. Even the most interesting questions or odd comments can become distractions. For example, in the past I have overheard the following courtroom statements: Be ready for anything – concentrate on your opponent. Your opponent could be a vehicle out of commission, someone tailgating, or a less than friendly police officer who suddenly decides you’ve broken a rule. If you’re not ready for your opponent – lose the case.

Lower your chin and turn your head so you can see out of the corner of your eye as you are waiting for your turn. This will help you be ready for anything. He who is not ready when the time comes to move, loses. If your back is turned to your opponent, you have already lost. The real battle, however, isn’t in the courtroom, it’s how you train yourself to deliver the right verbal answer when you hit that point. Verbal response is what people know. Most all courtroom prosecutions are verbal. However, unlike kung fu, getting the right verbal response is only half of the battle.

When you hit the point where it is time to respond, you must react with a firm delivery. Keep control of your body posture and get everything you need to win done without being distracted, perturbed, or losing control. Think of it this way, when you step forward out of a horse stance in kung fu to strike, the purpose is to knock your opponent and push them off balance. When you represent yourself in traffic court, you want the same outcome, to leave with the upper hand.

I saw a quote once on Facebook, “Don’t be the person who applies for the job, BE the person who already HAS the job.” The same applies here! Before you step up to the plate, determine who you want to be, and then go out and BE that person. Preparation is key both in the dojo and in the courtroom. Most people when preparing to represent themselves in traffic court fail to prepare at all. They show up. They wing it. They hope it all works out.

We all hope it works out more or less like we want it to, and that our preparations outline during practice for success. Ask yourself the following questions: These are all good questions. Ask the questions – you’re not going to get arrested – but you may appear silly, stupid, or naive. Ask anyway, you’ll own the strategy, and the ground you stand on before the judge. Remember the goals of Wing Tsun Kung Fu: Self-awareness and self-defense.