Need Unbiased Advice About Speeding Ticket

[briko3]

I've been where you are. Here's the deal:

If you think you were going the speed limit or lower then fight the ticket. If need be, just request to see the dash cam which shows your speed. That will clear up the problem. The judge might ask you....do you think there is a possibility you were going 26 mph and you say 'yes', you might as well not even try to fight it because he will enforce the ticket.

It's up to you as to how sure you are that you weren't even going 1 mph over the speed limit.

 

[tlmarketing]

plead not guilty....wait for your trial date, read the instructions about asking for a postponement date...and wait until the last possible date to ask for postponement....if you are lucky, the rescheduled date will be a day when your cop isnt going to court anyway for 50 other tickets....ask for dismissal.

 

[VolAgent]

As to the cop being there.

I know of several towns in Tennessee where if you contest it, the judge schedules it for a later date when the officer can be available. Only one or two officers show up, to serve as bailiffs. Make sure that isn't the case in this town if you decide to fight it and hope the officer doesn't show.

Now this was for city court regarding tickets from city police officers. For state troopers, it goes to state court and they always show up so it can be done on the spot. As JD says, they get paid to go, no reason for them to blow it off.

 

[Cornelius]

LOL.. back in my military days I got a ticket on Base and I was a young trooper so I was gullible. I knew I wasn't speeding because i had just pulled out of a drive way and never made it to 3rd gear in my 5 speed car.. Well speaking with the guys they had me all convinced to fight it by telling the judge or whomever that I never made it to 3rd gear so i couldn't have been speeding..

Right before I was going to make my case but then I felt the dunce cap on my head.. I just paid the ticket and told the guys I got off with no fine... Then I found out they didn't report tickets to the DMV they just kept records for base purposes and would restrict base driving privileges with so many points.

If you do plan to fight it go to You tube and see what others have to say about speeding tickets.. then again if you rarely get tickets it might be a good idea to just pay this one and fight the next one.. It's the hassle factor..In all things consider your options.

 

[JimmyUt]

There are a lot of options, one of which is to plead not guilty and give a jury demand. You have a right to a jury which they have no desire to give you. They will offer a bench trial instead and the prosecutor will offer a deal. In Utah I always ask for them to mark it down as an infraction, (which doesn't go on your record) and get rid of some if not most of the fine.Has worked a couple times for me. All they want is your cash anyway.

 

[senior-advisor-indiana]

Can you not get the tickets deffered in IL?

 

[VolAgent]

Sounds like tickets are expensive in other states. Here it is $50 to the city, and a litigation tax to the state of about $17 or so. $67 and a few hours will keep a ticket off your record, well worth it.

 

[GoCubsGo]

If money is tight as you say I would do the traffic school if I could and if not just pay it out. Taking it to court would fun but be too risky and time consuming, time who could use working. Keeping it off your record would be nice which is why I would try the school.

I grew up in Chicago area and did get a lot of tickets back in the day. All you had to do was show up in court and they would let you pay the fine but keep it off your record. No school required. Did that a lot. Paid my way out of a DWI. Times have changed.

 

[LGilmore]

The cost of the ticket isn't much, it's what will it do to your insurance for the next three years? It's been a lot of years since I had a ticket, but not fighting a 5 mile over ticket for $30 didn't seem like much at the time, but the insurance increase was about $300 a year (because of age)..for three years.

 

[FL P&C Broker]

Tickets here are like $220. I wish they were $50.