Whats this ticket gonna cost?
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 439
From: upstate New York
Yeah, above a certain MPH over they become "reckless" rather than just speeding- I haven't checked the law lately, but in NY over 20 over could get you a hearing about whether or not you should have a license- I mean, 91 on a public road, maybe you are a menace to society-- Not me saying that, just how the judge might take it
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,146
From: Denton/Rockwall, TX
lol yeah i must be a menace to society. I know that judge has never done 31 over in his lifetime... I was watching 2 friends race and the cop pulled me over, when I was the one going the slowest and not even racing. Maybe i got pulled over because i have a trans am and they were in trucks.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 260
From: Lafayette, LA, USA
If you go to court for it and the trooper doesn't show up, it will be dismissed. That's at the actual "trial", not the arraignment. The arraignment would be just for you to plead "not guilty." But at the second appearance, if the trooper decides that he has something more important to do, the court will have no choice but to dismiss it.
Being a professional driver (big trucks), I used to get tickets pretty regularly. But since I've gone independent, things are better for me and I don't have to take chances any more. Anyway, I've hired lawyers twice and both times they did absolutely nothing except take money from me. I have been to court to represent myself 4 times and 3 of the tickets were dismissed (first one the judge believed my story and the trooper didn't object, second the trooper never showed, third was for an accident where I was at fault and the other party was satisfied with how my insurance treated him so they dismissed it). The only one I lost while representing myself was for 105 in a 60. I didn't understand about it being an arraignment and when I didn't see the cop there, I plead not guilty. So the DA upped the charge from speeding to add a reckless on top of it. But then he graciously offered to drop the speeding if I plead guilty to reckless. So I plead because I was flustered. I should have gone to trial, but I got scared.
My point is that I've done better showing up on my own than I have done by hiring lawyers.
Being a professional driver (big trucks), I used to get tickets pretty regularly. But since I've gone independent, things are better for me and I don't have to take chances any more. Anyway, I've hired lawyers twice and both times they did absolutely nothing except take money from me. I have been to court to represent myself 4 times and 3 of the tickets were dismissed (first one the judge believed my story and the trooper didn't object, second the trooper never showed, third was for an accident where I was at fault and the other party was satisfied with how my insurance treated him so they dismissed it). The only one I lost while representing myself was for 105 in a 60. I didn't understand about it being an arraignment and when I didn't see the cop there, I plead not guilty. So the DA upped the charge from speeding to add a reckless on top of it. But then he graciously offered to drop the speeding if I plead guilty to reckless. So I plead because I was flustered. I should have gone to trial, but I got scared.
My point is that I've done better showing up on my own than I have done by hiring lawyers.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,146
From: Denton/Rockwall, TX
I called the court today and they said it will be $293. Since it was from a trooper I don't have to go to court, I can just go down there and pay it, so I probably will just pay it.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 260
From: Lafayette, LA, USA
But if you just pay it, then you have a huge conviction on your license. If you go to court, you might be able to get the DA to reduce it to a non-moving. This could come back and bite you in the a$$. Your insurance may go up. If you decide to become a truck driver it will certainly hurt your employment opportunities.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 2,248
From: Houston, TX
I always wondered about hiring a lawyer. I know several people that say it was a great move. However, it seems too good to be true. I mean, it would be a little different if you could have a little contract that protects you in case they aren't able to do anything.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 378
From: austin
I sent a lawyer my ticket with 100 bucks. He got my ticket (105 in a 60) taken care of. Now I did have to take defensive driving and pay a fine to the courts but nothing went on my record and I never had to go to court.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,146
From: Denton/Rockwall, TX
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 439
From: upstate New York
The way to pick a lawyer is to call the county BAR association, and ask for a referal. This does two things:
You get a lawyer that specializes in what you are looking for, not a contract lawyer doing a divorce, or a criminal laywer doing child custody; and
the lawyer knows that the BAR is watching to make sure you are a satisfied customer, that he doesn't make all lawyers look like scum sucking bottom feeders- Typically, the BAR will follow up with a questionair to you asking how you were treated-
You get a lawyer that specializes in what you are looking for, not a contract lawyer doing a divorce, or a criminal laywer doing child custody; and
the lawyer knows that the BAR is watching to make sure you are a satisfied customer, that he doesn't make all lawyers look like scum sucking bottom feeders- Typically, the BAR will follow up with a questionair to you asking how you were treated-