Lawsuit over city’s red-light cameras sent back to court

6/29/2013

A class-action lawsuit challenging the appeal process for red-light camera citations filed against the city of Toledo and RedFlex Traffic Systems Inc. should not have been thrown out in Lucas County Common Pleas Court, an appellate court ruled Friday.

Ohio’s 6th District Court of Appeals reversed the February, 2012, decision by Judge Ruth Ann Franks to dismiss the 2011 complaint filed by Bradley Walker of Kentucky and sent it back to trial court. Judge Stephen Yarbrough dissented.

The appeals court agreed with attorneys for Mr. Walker, who alleged Toledo police had not established an appeal process for those cited by the cameras.

“Since at a minimum, due process of law requires notice and a meaningful opportunity to be heard, it would seem the absence of any process would be problematic,” the appellate decision stated.