A Louisiana judge has ruled that the state cannot demand on-the-spot payments for weight and scale violations.

According to the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Assn., the judge revoked the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development's authority to demand the payments, declaring the state law allowing the practice to be unconstitutional.
The January ruling is the result of a March 2000 incident. Illinois truck driver Gary Ring was stopped and ticketed for running the weigh scale. He was forced to pay a $2,000 fine or have his rig seized. There was no court date. After unsuccessful calls to state agencies, Ring sued the state for violating his constitutional rights.
OOIDA notes that while the ruling means LaDOTD can no longer demand on-the-spot payment of violations, if a trucker wishes to voluntarily pay, he or she can do so.
If you have questions or if a DOTD officer demands on-the-spot payment, call toll-free 1-866-655-8236 to reach Madro Bandaries, one of Ring's attorneys.