I really need help/advice with this speeding ticket.

Here's the story:

Leaving my friend's house, on the way home on a 60 mph road. I was doing 80 when suddenly a officer spots me and pulls me over. When he walks to my window he asks me the required "Do you know why I stopped you?" routine and I stupidly admit that I was speeding ( this being my first time being pulled over I did not know that I would be better if you stay quiet and tell him "No officer! What did I do wrong?" ). He then proceeds to take my drivers license and asks for my insurance as he's looking over my license. When I reach for the glove box he then tells me ( if I remember correctly ) that he doesn't need the insurance because of some reason with my license so I end up not showing it to him.

He came back with a ticket, which I had to sign. You can see my ticket down below, as you can see I got a violation for speeding and a warning for financial responibility.



So my question to you guys is, is there any way out of it? I've seen many people get out of them many times before on here. I have done some researching and so far decided that my best option would be to go to the court and ask for 'deferred ajudification', which means I may or may not have to pay the ticket, but if I don't get another one within 6 months then it will stay off of my record or take a driving course. That will be my solution unless you guys can help me get completely out of it. I really just want to leave the court room with this off my record, so it doesn't raise my insurance and no added points on my dmv record.

I've never been pulled over/ticketed before this, or had any accidents so my record is completely clean.

Thanks for the help guys.

[Benedict1957]

Never talk to the cops. Never ever talk to the cops. Yeah, it's worth repeating twice.

Never admit guilt.

If your record is completely clean, you can probably get out of the ticket with traffic school, although you'll still have to pay the fines.

Originally Posted by Benedict1957

If your record is completely clean, you can probably get out of the ticket with traffic school, although you'll still have to pay the fines.

I don't care if I have to end up paying a couple of fines. As long as it doesn't raise the insurance or add points to my dmv record.
That being said, is there a way I don't have to pay any fines and have the charge dismissed?

[upstatedoc]

[askjeeves]

what is the financial responsibility ticket for??

many people will say not to talk to the cops. But I have gotten out of many many tickets and at worse been given reduced tickets by being up front with them. I imagine as a cop it gets tiring to hear the same bs stories.

[pt]

Originally Posted by askjeeves

what is the financial responsibility ticket for??

many people will say not to talk to the cops. But I have gotten out of many many tickets and at worse been given reduced tickets by being up front with them. I imagine as a cop it gets tiring to hear the same bs stories.

This. It's insulting the cop's intelligence if you get pulled over for speeding and you tell him/her you don't know what you were doing. Nobody enjoys being treated like an idiot. Cops are no different.

[WreckerX5d]

I got caught once going 110 in a 45. It got knocked down to a 75/45 and 6 points on my license. I shook the cops hand for not arresting me and told him thank you. I paid the fine, took a volunteer driving course and I just have 1 point now. I have a CDL class A as well (1 more 15+mph ticket it's gone). Who's fault was it? Mine. People keep telling me "oh fight the ticket!". I was the retard at the time, not anyone else. I owned up to my mistake and paid the penalty.

Fighting tickets should be reserved for those who were wrongfully charged.

[Vic311]

Originally Posted by Benedict1957

Never talk to the cops. Never ever talk to the cops. Yeah, it's worth repeating twice.

Never admit guilt.

If your record is completely clean, you can probably get out of the ticket with traffic school, although you'll still have to pay the fines.

^THIS, Good advice

PO are human tape recorders. Their whole point is to get you talking, so that you say something that can be used against you. There is no harm in saying "no sir I don't know", and just keep quiet after that. When you go to court, he will have your statement quoted in his little notebook and will read it out loud to the judge.

[Billup]

Originally Posted by Vic311

^THIS, Good advice

PO are human tape recorders. Their whole point is to get you talking, so that you say something that can be used against you. There is no harm in saying "no sir I don't know", and just keep quiet after that. When you go to court, he will have your statement quoted in his little notebook and will read it out loud to the judge.

If you are in a state that handles speeding violations like that. I got popped for 14 over a little while ago here in NC and thought if I kept my mouth shut, I would be able to explain the circumstances in front of a judge with the officer there.

Instead I was tossed into a court room with maybe 150+ other people where we were each called up individually in order and was given "options" without even being able to state my case.

[Mak135i]

Depending on how much the fines are and the potential increase in insurance rate, my advice is to get a good lawyer who "knows" the judge. It may cost a little more, but it's an almost guaranteed way to get the best possible outcome for you.

[MrRoboto]

You broke the law and admitted to it. Man up and accept the punishment.

[catcher22]

Don't listen to Mr Roberto, he is in a different country. You always take a ticket to court if you can, guilty or not. If the cop doesn't show up, your case is automatically dismissed.

At least go to court. Even better, go to court and plead not guilty. The burden of proof is on the county/state. You were not the one behind the radar, you are the accused (key word).

Worst case is the cop says you admitted fault, and they give you some points with a reduced fine. Best case is the cop doesn't show, or there's a flaw in their case (such as a non-calibrated radar) finding you innocent, or no points and like 4 hours of driving school. Definitely worth a trip to court when your only other option is to take it.

[upstatedoc]

Originally Posted by MrRoboto

You broke the law and admitted to it. Man up and accept the punishment.

Domo arigato MrRoboto.

Wifey got a cell phone ticket few months ago and was facing 5 points and $300 fine. She went to court, talked to DA and it was reduced to 2 points $80 fine. And this was after she had sung like a canary to the LEO at the roadside and he documented it all on the ticket. After a spanking, she agreed to NEVER TALK TO THE COPS.

[David1]

Going to court will do nothing with this one. The recent radar calibration is on the ticket so you can't fight that, plus here in Ohio if you go to court, the officer does not have to be present. Your first appearance would be to say not guilty and then you come back another day to fight and for that one the officer needs to be present either in person or video so the office not showing up strategy is bunk. You got cought, pay up and go on with life.

There are two things my father always told me:
1) Banks and insurance companies are not your friend
2) It's not illegal until your caught.

[upstatedoc]

Originally Posted by David1

Going to court will do nothing with this one. The recent radar calibration is on the ticket so you can't fight that

The ticket reads: "Radar Cal. 23:53" which is military time for 11:53 pm which is one minute after the date and time at the top of the ticket. Educate me on how this makes the ticket un-fightable.

[David1]

It only has to be calibrated every certain amount of use. Do you think they don't know what they are doing. Legal Precedence is already defined and calibration logs are kept at the stations per gun SN#. What is shown on the ticket is just a check to confirm callibration. It is not the log when the gun was calibrated before the office went on duty with it.

[MicrophoneMic]

Request Deferred Adjudication. I believe it is available in Texas.

Basically you just pay request it at court and pay a fee, then as long as you're ticket-free for a certain period of time (couple of months to a year or so, depending on the city), your ticket will be taken off your record.

It should be noted that if you get another violation during that time probation period, they both hit your record automatically. Also, I believe you can only request deferred 1x a year. Same thing with defensive driving.

Honestly, your best best (since this is your first ticket) is to go with defensive driving. You can do the online course. I've done one before and it's a breeze...

[Diesel X5]

I say fight every ticket. Tie up the courts.

[1fastdoc]

Originally Posted by askjeeves

what is the financial responsibility ticket for??

many people will say not to talk to the cops. But I have gotten out of many many tickets and at worse been given reduced tickets by being up front with them. I imagine as a cop it gets tiring to hear the same bs stories.

As someone who has been pulled over well over 50 times in the last 20 years and has well less then that in tickets, I agree with this. I'm usually pretty relaxed and honest with the cops although I'm not going to volunteer my speed. I've been caught committing enough infractions to lose my license in WA, NY and NC. But it's never been close. Cops have a job to do. Being difficult is a pretty surefire way to earn that ticket. Find a way to get on his good side quickly and it may get the infraction reduced.

Can't always get it dropped though, for that see my recent thread.