Home > Research Legal Advice > Speeding / Traffic Ticket > Should i get a lawyer for a speeding ticket?
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Asked over 2 years ago - Silver Spring, MD
Flagi received a speeding ticket on 8/20/10. I was going 80 mph in a 65mph area. The due date to pay the ticket is on 10/19/10. should i just pay the ticket?
The simple answer is NO, do not just pay the ticket. The implications are too enduring. Take time off, got to court. If you have a clean record, that helps you and you might get the ticket speed and points REDUCED. You MIGHT save points, a record, the implications of 80, and just might get some sunshine. If your record is bad or even compromised in any way, or if you have a CDL license or must drive for a living, DEFINITELY consult with an attorney, pronto. Dress appropriately. Be respectful. Do not make excuses or try to sell some evasive justification . . . the court/judge has heard it all. As well, be truthful to the attorney, or if unrepresented to the judge . . . your record is readily available to the judge on-line, AFTER you are found guilty, if you are. If the judge asks you about your records and you say it is clean, no points, etc. and the record shows you are not being truthful, you will be both embarrassed, and very, very sorry. Toast. If you hold any sensitive governmental position, or have a security clearance, get a lawyer. I have has NASA, CIA, other agencies, as well as commercial drivers, and there are always, always, always, special needs which come into play in how to approach the trial on even simple traffic matters. 80 is not simple; 65 and 70, maybe . . . 80, no.
The simple answer is NO, do not just pay the ticket. The implications are too enduring. Take time off, got to court. If you have a clean record, that helps you and you might get the ticket speed and points REDUCED. You MIGHT save points, a record, the implications of 80, and just might get some sunshine. If your record is bad or even compromised in any way, or if you have a CDL license or must drive for a living, DEFINITELY consult with an attorney, pronto. Dress appropriately. Be respectful. Do not make excuses or try to sell some evasive justification . . . the court/judge has heard it all. As well, be truthful to the attorney, or if unrepresented to the judge . . . your record is readily available to the judge on-line, AFTER you are found guilty, if you are. If the judge asks you about your records and you say it is clean, no points, etc. and the record shows you are not being truthful, you will be both embarrassed, and very, very sorry. Toast. If you hold any sensitive governmental position, or have a security clearance, get a lawyer. I have has NASA, CIA, other agencies, as well as commercial drivers, and there are always, always, always, special needs which come into play in how to approach the trial on even simple traffic matters. 80 is not simple; 65 and 70, maybe . . . 80, no.
The simple answer is NO, do not just pay the ticket. The implications are too enduring. Take time off, got to court. If you have a clean record, that helps you and you might get the ticket speed and points REDUCED. You MIGHT save points, a record, the implications of 80, and just might get some sunshine. If your record is bad or even compromised in any way, or if you have a CDL license or must drive for a living, DEFINITELY consult with an attorney, pronto. Dress appropriately. Be respectful. Do not make excuses or try to sell some evasive justification . . . the court/judge has heard it all. As well, be truthful to the attorney, or if unrepresented to the judge . . . your record is readily available to the judge on-line, AFTER you are found guilty, if you are. If the judge asks you about your records and you say it is clean, no points, etc. and the record shows you are not being truthful, you will be both embarrassed, and very, very sorry. Toast. If you hold any sensitive governmental position, or have a security clearance, get a lawyer. I have has NASA, CIA, other agencies, as well as commercial drivers, and there are always, always, always, special needs which come into play in how to approach the trial on even simple traffic matters. 80 is not simple; 65 and 70, maybe . . . 80, no.
An addition point (to the excellent points that Mr. Fick raised) is that an attorney may be aware of procedural and constitutional issues regarding the mounting of your defense that you may not be aware of. They are too many to list here. If you are in Silver Spring, you may wish to know that the MoCo bench (if you were ticketed there) has a reputation for severity on speeding tickets but Mr. Fick's advice holds as sound throughout the state.
No, don't pay if you have a defense.
It is not a great idea to represent yourself.
You do, however, have the constitutional right to do so. I would recommend spending an entire day in the court to observe how judges handle self-represented defendants to get an idea of how irritated they get at amateur lawyering.
If you really want to represent yourself, you should purchase an hour of a traffic attorney's time to have her or him coach you on how to handle things.
A better choice if you do not want to pay the fine is simply to hire an attorney. The approach suggested in your situation is to hire a traffic attorney with the following goals in mind: 1) Look for a technical defense that will get the citation dismissed; 2) Try to negotiate agreement with the prosecutor to amend the citation to become an infraction that does not get reported on you record; and 3) Ask the judge for a deferred finding (Supervision Program in my state) if you and your lawyer are unable to find any technical defenses.
You might find my Legal Guide helpful "How to Choose A Lawyer For You"
http://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/how-to-cho...
You might find my Legal Guide helpful " What Do I Tell My Lawyer"
http://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/what-do-i-...
Check with a lawyer in your locale to discuss more of the details.
Good luck to you.
God bless. Best of luck to you.
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