UPDATE 5/28: WWYD??? Speeding ticket... question.

I got a speeding ticket this morning. I'm so mad at myself... but what's done is done.

It says on the ticket that they got my speed using a radar. I honestly don't think i was going as fast as it says though.

If I plead Not Guilty and go to court, will they just show me the radar printout and say sorry you're guilty pay up. Or is there a possibility they will lower it?

Just wondering if it's worth it to go to court over a speeding ticket. This is my first.

Thanks.


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UPDATE 5/28: I found a reputable company (recommended by a co-worker) that will go to court for you. There is a fee of $89.95, but most of the time will get your ticket dismissed... MOST of the time. If not, they will at least get them to dismiss the points, but then i'd still have to pay the over $200 for the ticket PLUS the $89.95.

WWYD? Plead not guilty and go to court yourself or go through this company where they go to court for you and possibly get the ticket dismissed?

Message edited 5/28/2008 9:06:59 AM.

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

yes- in FL it's worth it- you can plead it down

my brother does it all the time- I can ask him what he does- but he gets them reduced!

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

You plead not guilty. Then show up to the hearing. The officer may/may not show up. You plead your case and you may be able to plead to a lesser charge or pay the fine and get no points. I always think it's worth it to fight it.

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

Same thing happened to me...I pleaded not guilty, went to courthouse and the officer was there and we spoke and he dropped it to parking on pavement and then asked me out on a date...

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

i've gotten quite a few speeding tickets , but in NY not in FL. i always went and plead not guilty and they ALWAYS reduced the charge to something less. its worth it IMO cause who knows, the judge might appreciate that you took the time to go and address the situation and not hit you with any points.

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

I would go! I once had a ticket dropped completely because the officer never showed up to court!

Good luck!

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

My DH got two tickets in one shot in Jersey for speeding. One for speeding, the other for reckless driving He went to Court because the jerk state trooper said he was going 90mph He tried to fight it because It would have been impossible to have gone 90mph because #1 It was Memorial Day weekend & there was too much traffic on the road to have went 90 MPH & #2our gas tank was almost empty, so why would we burn more gas to speed? #3 The roads were wet because it had just finished raining. We have a feeling the the cop busted the wrong car because at the time we were driving a Silver Maxima which as ALL OVER THE ROAD!!

Anyway- He fought both tickets & somehow managed to beat the reckless driving charge. We still got the speeding ticket which ended up costing $800 anyway I think at most, we were doing 70. 90? NO WAY!!!

Good luck- Its worth a try.

Message edited 5/12/2008 12:35:01 PM.

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

I must be the unlucky one

I got a ticket for going through a stop sign (which I will still say I DID NOT do) in Suffolk County.

DH's uncle is SCPD, talked to the officer (who he says was a "new guy" and eager to catch people), told me to plead not guilty and postpone the allowed number of times and the officer wouldn't show up to court that day.

I finally went to court, the officer didn't show up (they say he has an hour to show up) so they called him. He showed up another hour later, told the judge that I blew the stop sign going 40 (which is impossible because I had just turned onto the street with the stop sign ) and that's that.

Lied, blatantly to the judge, then turned to me and smirked.

I hated him. I paid the fine, surcharge, and wasted 3 hours of my life. I wish I would've just paid it.



ETA: good luck!!

Message edited 5/12/2008 12:42:18 PM.

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

Posted by kahlua716

I must be the unlucky one

I got a ticket for going through a stop sign (which I will still say I DID NOT do) in Suffolk County.

DH's uncle is SCPD, talked to the officer (who he says was a "new guy" and eager to catch people), told me to plead not guilty and postpone the allowed number of times and the officer wouldn't show up to court that day.

I finally went to court, the officer didn't show up (they say he has an hour to show up) so they called him. He showed up another hour later, told the judge that I blew the stop sign going 40 (which is impossible because I had just turned onto the street with the stop sign ) and that's that.

Lied, blatantly to the judge, then turned to me and smirked.

I hated him. I paid the fine, surcharge, and wasted 3 hours of my life. I wish I would've just paid it.



ETA: good luck!!

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

Not sure how it works out of state.

But, I've had a couple of speeding tickets in Nassau County and they were all dropped down to lesser tickets by pleading not guilty and going to court.

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

Ok i'm definitely going to plead Not Guilty and see what happens in court. The cop seemed nice too and I thought he was maybe going to let me off, but NO.

I'm just worried they are going to laugh at me and say well, here's the radar tape that has the mph you were going. Then what do I say???

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

Posted by CaMacho

Ok i'm definitely going to plead Not Guilty and see what happens in court. The cop seemed nice too and I thought he was maybe going to let me off, but NO.

I'm just worried they are going to laugh at me and say well, here's the radar tape that has the mph you were going. Then what do I say???

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

Posted by CaMacho

Ok i'm definitely going to plead Not Guilty and see what happens in court. The cop seemed nice too and I thought he was maybe going to let me off, but NO.

I'm just worried they are going to laugh at me and say well, here's the radar tape that has the mph you were going. Then what do I say???

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

you can try to reduce it by going to court, but instead, you could also have the points reduced with another defensive driving class.... I've had mixed results with court on parking charges... never got a speeding ticket, though.

defensive driving (about a 4 hour time investment + $70) would garanteed drop those points, I think 4 points

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

From my brother....


she needs to get a ticket lawyer, they cost 69.99 and it gets dismissed

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

he said you will get a bunch of soliations in the mail and he just picked one each time (3 tickets)

but ask your family friend if they can do it for you

I am not sure how it works- in NY we have someone we use just for tickets- he basically spends all day in traffic court

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

Good to know, thanks for the info Beth!

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

your welcome

my brother thinks I got a ticket now

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Re: Speeding ticket... question.

In Suffolk they never reduce them. I've gone to court...They spend about 10 minutes saying how they calibrated the radar gun that morning, clocked other cars going 55 (or whatever), had it checked by an engineer for the routine radar gun maintance...

Do not go with the family friend lawyer; invest in the ticket lawyer. As my brother (a general litigator) says, lawyers are like doctors and each has his own specialty. Best to invest in the one who specializes in what you actually need.

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

just to add to that- those ticket lawyers know everyone in the court

that's how they are able to get things dismissed and reduced

suffolk doesn't let you do it- by the guy we use in Nass. is awesome- I called him friday night about a ticket Jake forgot to tell me about - it's due tomorrow and he is handeling it today for $100

he took care of another one for me a few years ago- I didn't even have to show up!

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

Thanks guys, i'm going to look into a ticket lawyer...

Re: Speeding ticket... question.

If you can talk it down where you are, do that. If you can't, like in Suffolk, don't bother.