Fifth Circuit Green Lights Remand Of Red Light Case

Many of us have received a ticket for running a red light. Few have made a federal case out of it. Meet James Watson. He will be forever immortalized in the case of Watson v. City of Allen, No. 15-10732, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 8367 (5th Cir. May 5, 2016).

Watson received a citation after his vehicle was photographed running a red light. He was not driving the vehicle at the time of the infraction and was, in fact, out of state. Watson paid the penalty and then brought a class action against the State of Texas, cities using the cameras and the private companies that administer the cities' red light camera programs, alleging violations of the Texas Constitution, various state laws and the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).