You thought you were not driving that fast. Where are the speed limit signs anyway? You have not seen one for miles! But the police officer stopped you and gave you a ticket. Arghh!
Speeding ticket fines are not only annoying but they can lead to demerit points on your (otherwise flawless) driving record and higher insurance premiums. There are ways to have the charges reduced, or even in some cases, beaten completely. Read on to find out how.
When it comes to speeding ticket fines, putting it down in writing is always a good idea and can help with your defense. If, for example, you were attempting to slow down your speed when you were pulled over by a cop, documenting that on paper is a smart move to make. Jot down everything that you can recall about the incident. If your case goes to trial or to a plea-bargaining deal, this information will come in handy.
A great deal of people are not aware of what the appropriate speeding ticket fines are supposed to be. It is not uncommon for a ticket to have flaws in it. If you are not sure how to read the ticket correctly, take it to a paralegal. Most paralegals offer initial consultations for free.
Speeding ticket fines can affect your future. You may decide to hire a paralegal but to hire such a professional you may have to fork over more money than it would cost you to pay the ticket.
Be aware that insurance providers are concerned about the quantity of entries that show up on your record. They can take a minor conviction you receive and use it to put up your premiums for a three year period. What you may wish to do is to place a call to your insurance company (not as a client of theirs but as an individual just making inquiries) and find out how any legal penalties would impact your premiums if you were to sign on with them.
When your day in court arrives to defend yourself against the fine that you have, you will need to take a day off of work. You may even have to take a day or two off before that to get the process moving. In some municipalities you can put in a request for a trial by mail, but in other locations you must go in person to the traffic court office to file all of the necessary papers.
It is your right as a citizen to be shown the evidence that is to be brought against you in a court of law. This is called disclosure. You can request any notes written by the cops, witness statements and the like from the prosecutor’s office in advance of the date for your trial.