State Supreme Court tosses car window tinting law
Problem is with residency of driver, justices rule

The Associated Press
Published on: 06/07/04

The Georgia Supreme Court has tossed out a state law making it illegal for motorists to have heavily tinted windows on their cars.

In an opinion released Monday, the court indicated its problem wasn't so much the idea behind the law but the way the law was applied.

The statute affected cars which were registered in Georgia and which were driven by people who resided in the state. Nonresidents weren't affected by the law, which carried misdemeanor penalties.

The court said it saw no valid reason for the Legislature to draw a distinction between residents and nonresidents, and therefore ruled the law invalid.

"It being self-evident that nonresidents can be as dangerous to police officers as residents, we perceive no rational connection between the residence of the driver of a vehicle and the goal of improving law enforcement officer safety during traffic stops," the court held in a unanimous opinion.

A footnote in the ruling cited the laws of several other states whose window-tinting laws "apply to all persons without regard to residence."

The law made it illegal to apply material to car windows which reduced light transmission to less than 32 percent or which increased light reflectance to more than 20 percent. Tinting applied by a manufacturer prior to delivery was not affected.

The law was challenged by Jessica Ciak, who was stopped in Cobb County by an officer who suspected her windows were tinted beyond the limits of the law.

Her attorneys challenged the law's constitutionality before a trial judge but lost a motion to have it invalidated. The Supreme Court appeal followed.

Cobb County Solicitor General Barry Morgan, whose office prosecuted the case, said the decision exposes law enforcement officers to a potential hazard until the Legislature can meet again and decide whether the law can be fixed.

"A law enforcement officer who's making an approach to a car never knows what he's going to meet," said Morgan, adding that heavily tinted windows simply increase the risk.



So does this mean, there *is* no law (for the moment) about window tinting? Does that mean it'll be even worse once they 'fix' the law and reinstate it?

Hmmm.. I wonder if the law would be retrocative as well. I got pulled over in Cobb.. They gave me a ticket for 15% tint.

Blah!

so this means that i cant get a ticket for having 15% tint now?

so this means that i cant get a ticket for having 15% tint now?

I think so, until they 'redo' the law and pass it (who knows how long that might take). Sounds like they want it to say 'all motorists, no matter if they are local are from another state' can't have tint over xx%.

Hmm.. Sweet for awhile, until they hammer the new one into place? My bud Aaron will appreciate that, I think he has like 20% all around, and his rear and back window came with something pretty dark already (looks like limo tint on the back 3 windows..).

Tint ON.
:alright

Ok this is the dumbest ticket I have ever gotten. Called the number listed on the ticket. Charge is $75. But I am not in the system yet. And my court date is listed as a Sunday. They are not open on Sundays. The operator asked me what my other ticket was for. Ahh.. there is no other tickets.
"Nothing else, no speeding, or accidents, or DUI?" Nope nothing.. She laughed!!! Like NOBODY gets a ticket just for tint. HA HA HA.. :mad:

Karl, all that misinformation should be enough to get that one dismissed.

This all stems from a stop by the Cobb County oink oink......how ironic. Maybe they should look into the Cobb Co. 5-0 abusing their power. Last night I was passed by a cop going 80-100 down roswell rd ( I was at 60)....he didn't have his lights on either....

wuts the lowest percent that wont get cops and ur ass?

I think the law is/was nothing darker than 35% :dunno

Ahh, thanks S8! Lovely for me with the 5% tint :) No more harrassing for me! woohoo!

wuts the lowest percent that wont get cops and ur ass?

I dunno, I think you could take a black crayon and paint your window in and you'd be legal right now.. :eyecrazy:


Speaking of tint, I'm shopping now - Someone mentioned a place over off 41 by Dobbins (That's convienent to me during the day @ work for a dropoff), anyone know a good place in the I75 area at or north of 285 (Cobb Pkwy area)?

I think it was Brent that mentioned this place at one of our meets? (Can't remember the name for the life of me..)

I dunno, I think you could take a black crayon and paint your window in and you'd be legal right now.. :eyecrazy:


Speaking of tint, I'm shopping now - Someone mentioned a place over off 41 by Dobbins (That's convienent to me during the day @ work for a dropoff), anyone know a good place in the I75 area at or north of 285 (Cobb Pkwy area)?

I think it was Brent that mentioned this place at one of our meets? (Can't remember the name for the life of me..)

Jas,
Custom Sun Controll...41 just N of dobbins. Across from Select Autos.
Great job on every car I've sen them do
B

Jas,
Custom Sun Controll...41 just N of dobbins. Across from Select Autos.
Great job on every car I've sen them do
B

:cool:

Hmm, I wonder what I can get done now w/ the law not in place.. (And still see at night) :devillook

Can anyone comment on reflective vs non-reflective (from inside the car)?

Whats the $$$ for 20-32% for a coupe? Anyone know?

I dunno, I think you could take a black crayon and paint your window in and you'd be legal right now.. :eyecrazy:


Speaking of tint, I'm shopping now - Someone mentioned a place over off 41 by Dobbins (That's convienent to me during the day @ work for a dropoff), anyone know a good place in the I75 area at or north of 285 (Cobb Pkwy area)?

I think it was Brent that mentioned this place at one of our meets? (Can't remember the name for the life of me..)

I just got my e46 M3 done at the place on 41. It's called Custom Sun Controll. They did an outstanding job on my car, it looks totally factory. It's Formula One tint, and carries a lifetime warranty, dont know if that matters.

The only thing is that they wouldnt do darker than 32%, but maybe with this law change, you could do darker.

Whats the $$$ for 20-32% for a coupe? Anyone know?
JUST GUESSING ABOUT $175. BUT WTF DO I KNOW? :)

I hate having people see straight into my car...espcially when I am next to an ugly chick at a traffic light. Ewwww, I just want to hide

JUST GUESSING ABOUT $175. BUT WTF DO I KNOW? :)

Stop screaming! We can all hear you just fine...;)

e-yelling is not cool Phil :nono

hahaha

I might bust out some tint this weekend.

That means no windows down for the drive...and the A/C must be on....bye bye power

That means no windows down for the drive...and the A/C must be on....bye bye power

Man, my mental schedule is all messed up, and it's Geordie's fault for having nineteen different drive times posted.

Exhaust install Saturday, drive Sunday, tint next week.

Word.

You are golden :)

If the tint law does get passed back you can still get around it. I did. You can get a Tint Exemption form stating you have problems with the sun and need darker tint. Thats how I got around it when I got pulled over by da man. I'm actually a dick to them. I let them make their speech about do you know you cant have dark tint and then let them go grab the tint meter, then have them tell me your too dark and let them come back and start writing the ticket. At that point I bust out my GA Tint exemption document from the D.M.V and they look dumbfounded. Then they are pissed on why I didnt show it earlier. I did that 3 times so far.

Im kinda angry the law is taken away. I liked getting around the system and I actually enjoyed them pullng me over so I could waste their time.

Stop screaming! We can all hear you just fine...;)
sorry guys. everything i put in the computer @ work is in CAPS. even though it is hard to believe. i sometimes forget to take CAPS off :D

What % do you have on your car Dean?

What % do you have on your car Dean?

Limo(5%) in the back and 20% all the way around. And a limo front 9in windshield strip. The perfect combo. Having limo on all the windows is too much. You cant see shit at night if the windows are rolled up. Its way too dark.

Dean Quinto: Using the Man to stick it to the Man.

Excellent work.

Props to Dean for workin the system

So how does one go about getting this document.. ;)

So how does one go about getting this document.. ;)

You need to go to the DMV office. It used to be on confederate ave, near the zoo area but they moved now. The GA DMV relocated to Conyers. So know you gotta drive your ass way out there. But you can call and they will mail you out a form. The form is good for 5 yrs. And a so called Doctor has to explain why you need dark tint and sign it and put a phone number. Dont worry they dont check. I forged mine and my friends. I did mine when it was still at confederate ave. and I forged it on my lunch break and came back and dropped it off an hr later. Its a 4-copy type of form. You get to keep 2 copies and the DMV keeps 2. She stamps each page with a DMV ink seal. I commit so many crimes its pitiful.

Well if or when the law comes back.. I know what I will be doing.. Legally of course.. :devillook

HA! Thanks Dean!