You can take the word "Most" out of your first sentance and it would be more accurate .

I think everyone should challange tickets in court.

 

I always go to court to pay my ticket. I dont always challenge it though. The reason I go is for what someone said earlier, if the officer doesnt show up, plead not guilty, and the judge will dismiss your ticket. But if the officer is there, I plead guilty and pay for it. I have never gotten a worse ticket either, and one the time judge dismissed a ticket for me, because the officer wrote the wrong year down on my ticket. The judge simply asked me if I had gotten a ticket on the date in question, the previous year, I said no, and he said dismissed!

 

That's awesome when that happens. Busted in December 1990, court date in Jan 1990... sorry, no time machine here!

 

Yeah it was pretty cool, turned out I had a little extra beer money that night!

 

The whole officer not showing up thing is a biiggg variable. That depends on your jurisdiction. Some do it, some don't. As long as the judge doesn't complain, the prosecutor can ask for it to be re-scheduled until you're old and gray. Again, depending on your jurisdiction.

 

I live in eastern NC, you will most likely get an insurance hike if it is 10 mph or more above the speed limit.
I have heard of something called prayer for judgement in which they will charge you the court costs and set aside the penalty for a period of time (2 years I think) and if you don't get another ticket it goes away but, if you do get another ticket in that time frame they re-activate the old penalty also.
Where I live there are lawyers that charge a flat fee and basicaly make the speeding ticket either go away or turn into a non-moving violation ie: burned out headlight etc. You then pay a small fine and it doesn't effect your insurance.
The cost of the insurance hike for 3 to 5 years can usually more than pay for the lawyer fees.

Good luck.

 

It's not a small price if you add up what it can do to your insurance premiums. And that is why the Prosecutors will bargin down to non-moving violations. Oh, and also because they get more money for their county. lol Yep, it's all about money.

 

I wouldnt fight it, its going to cost more to do that. Law Enforcement is nothing more than a business that everyone pays for sooner or later. Just chock it up to be 'your time'. Pay the court fee, take defensive driving and forget it happened. It wont go on your record, and insurance wont see it. Me and the misses get a ticket fairly regularly no more than once every 365 days. We have heavy feet...72 in a 55, 93 in a 70...that kind of thing.

 

What I meant by its a small price to pay, is if you get caught once, say out of ten times Thats what I meant by that!

 

I do not know the specifics of your state. However, in most states they do have laws in place to regulate passing. I have heard, from different sources, that in some states they do allow you to go 20mph over the posted speed limit in order to pass slower traffic, but after passing you must immediatly reduce your speed back to the posted limit. If this law applies in your state, then you would have been allowed to pass at 75mph in that zone. If you find that law and take it into court then the case is dropped if you can prove your were indeed passing slower traffic.

Police officers also get into trouble for not knowing the laws that they are supposed to be enforcing.

It is your job as one of "We The People" to keep a check on your governing and enforcement authorities. Make sure they are following the laws too!

One other stategy that I have heard about. And it may only work in normal court cases, but it could be tried in traffic court. Tell the judge/magistrate that...

"If it pleases the court and if I have broken any of Man's laws, then I appologize and ask for forgiveness."

If the judge /magistrate understands common law vs. statutory law, then theoretically the case should be dropped. They must forgive you! You must also understand your position regarding this sentance. If you don't understand your status, it will not work.

I have won many, many traffic cases using various "out of the box" stategies. But then again I like reading and studying law.

Good luck!

 

My opinion is that having an attorney to help with a speeding ticket is like driving a tack with a piledriver. My lawyers charge 250-325/hr that could add up to a lot quick. Now if this were your 3rd or 5th offense and your DL was on the line, ok.

I doubt the DA would return a call related to a minor traffic violation, he would probably laugh.

Try the guilty plea/driving class angle or probation before judgemnt if available (no more in a yr, they drop it). Or try pleading innocent citing your previously spotless record ("there must be an error your Honor"), Judge might go for it, and if not probably go easy on you anyway. This advice is based solely on my few trips to traffic court 2x for myself a few times just watching. If you can go and watch a session of traffic court before yours, its most informative.