If you've ever gotten a ticket in the mail after allegedly blowing through a red light, a recent Supreme Court ruling should spike your interest.

Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts, a case that dealt with a laboratory analysis in a drug case, may provide some insight. The defendant, Melendez-Diaz, argued that he had the right to question a lab worker who produced a certificate showing that cocaine was recovered at the scene of his arrest.

The high court agreed, ruling that information in lab reports can be used as evidence only if the defendant is given the opportunity to cross-examine the technician who did the testing.

This ruling is now setting precedent for cases involving speed cameras, which rely on certificates to confirm the reliability of each machine's reading.

Within the past few days , there has been a lot of confusion -regarding the status of the 'Cash for Clunkers' program, which allows consumers to upgrade into more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Automakers and dealers had been informed on Thursday to stop processing car deals related to the program, after NHTSA officials suspended the program. Moments later a White House spokesperson said the program hasn't been suspended.

According to our sources, the government may have underestimated the popularity of the program. Congress only allocated $1-billion for the program initially, which is roughly 250,000 new-vehicle sales. Based on the success of the program and the uptick of floor traffic at new-car dealerships this week, many believe the program funds have been depleted. ...

Over the past decade, a number of minority-owned agencies have been hired by major automakers to target specific demographics. In many cases, these successful agencies believed they could do a better job of reaching African Americans or Hispanics than the general-market ad agencies.

However, many of the multicultural agencies, just like the general-market agencies, have used high-profile celebrities, too. For instance, several years ago Chrysler general-market ad agency signed Grammy Award winner Celine Dion to a three-year $14-million deal to push its vehicles. Unfortunately, the Canadian-born singer couldn't attract enough shoppers to buy a Chrysler, so the commercials were axed after receiving a bevy of complaints from dealers.

When was the last time Buick generated this much controversy over a commercial? Even with the hundreds of millions GM shelled out for Tiger Woods, who was the automaker's key spokesperson prior to it filing bankruptcy, the pro golfer never garnered this type of attention for the company.

However, Buick's latest commercial not only has folks talking, which is always the goal of an ad campaign, but it has a number of industry insiders questioning the creator of the ad over whether it sends the right message.

GM's new vice chairman, 77-year-old Bob Lutz, is reportedly not too happy with the ad. Lutz believed Chrysler was out of step when it launched the superpopular rear-wheel drive Chrysler 300 several years ago. Go figure? He was also responsible for encouraging Dodge to produce a Viper, too. ...

This might be one of the worst job markets in decades, but automakers haven't forgotten about recent grads. Whether you've completed trade school, finished a nursing program, or earned a bachelor or graduate degree, most automakers want to reward you for going the extra mile.

Many are offering special interest rates, relaxed credit stipulations, deferred payments, extra cash rebates, special non-negotiable pricing and complimentary roadside assistance on the purchase or the lease of a new or pre-owned vehicle. In fact, the cash rebates can be used on top of other incentives, and some automakers may even overlook charge-offs less than $250.

In most cases, you can qualify for a graduate program incentive if you're within six months of earning your degree or up to two years after you receive your degree from an accredited program. In this tight economy, every little bit helps. So that you don't have do extra homework, we've identified each automaker offering an incentive. All you need to do is to gather the specifics before you head out to make your purchase. ...

From now until November 1, 2009, our president is paying big money for your gas guzzler. If you own a gas guzzler less than 25 years old, it still runs and appraises lower than $3,500 to $4,500, Obama is allowing you to upgrade just as he did, with his Caddy limo, when he became president into a brand-new, but more fuel efficient vehicle. However, unlike his Caddy, your brand-new ride must have a base MSRP of $45,000 before you start adding on options, which could drive up the price.

In addition to the CARS Act allowance, which was recently approved by Obama, the government is also allowing a tax credit on most new hybrids and diesels, too. Furthermore, the government is allowing you to write off the sales tax you pay on the purchase of a new vehicle, too. To find out more about the tax credits, check with your tax accountant or visit www.fueleconomy.gov. You really have an opportunity to triple dip on this government-run program....

Have you ever wondered why some vehicles are worth less than others after three years? Well, a number of factors play into this ... an oversupply of vehicles in stock, the number of vehicles being supplied to rental car companies, quality and pricing strategies. Sometimes a car is just plain ugly, like the PT Cruiser above.

To induce new-car sales, rebates are often used for slow-selling models by the manufacturer. Unfortunately, rebates typically drive down the value of a vehicle. ...