First Time Speeding Ticket

This is what I would do in your situation. I would NOT make any decisions until your actual court date. Wait and speak to the person that will actually be prosecuting you. In some VERY LIMITED situations, this is just the officer himself. I think this is what @Cattleman84 was trying to say. In this situation, some photos of the area might be enough to get the judge and the officer to reconsider. I have found that an offer to plea to a reduced charge can be enough to get an already overworked DA type to work with you. I got two BS tickets in Habersham County Georgia in 2008. I was still mad as heck the day I copped my NOT GUILTY plea and DEMANDED a trial by JURY! I won my case, but it did cost me 3 days of work. YOU MUST take EVERYTHING into account when you make these decisions.

 

Not with this kind of charge. It's still an open case. You are clear to go on and work. If you do get convicted, list the conviction on your yearly report the carrier must make. They will either send you a form or give you one by hand.

 

Follow Ridgeline and Cattlemen's advice and save your money for bigger issues. Btw l wouldn't say anything about bigger tires and the possibility that your speedometer is off due to something you did to the vehicle. That never ends well lol. Good luck on it.

 

IDK just from the limited information here it sounds like the officer was under pressure to write more tickets and was writing tickets for anything to see what sticks.
Was the 25mph sign regulatory or cautionary?
If it was regulatory then it's going to be difficult to beat.
If cautionary that's a little easier. and I don't believe the penalty is as severe.

 

NEWSFLASH: The cop does not always have to show up to court. In fact, often they don’t for minor crap. They just have phone conversation with the DA. I know this because a lot of my friends and both my son in laws are cops.

Just recently, one of my daughters and SIL were visiting us for a week. My SIL had 2 different calls with the DA that week. He just gave recorded sworn statements for both.

Just thought I’d point that out in case you’re planning on counting on the “The cop didn’t show up” defense.

 

I'm glad you made this comment because it triggered a memory. One of the primary reasons (pro-se) cases fail is because the average joe is ignorant of how courts work. You can get railroaded by the process IF you are not a bit court savvy. You should NEVER go into a trial without first getting and serving on the arresting officer and/or their dept what is known as a "subpoena duces tecum" This MANDATES the officer be in court AND also bring into the court things like their body or car cam video. Don't just go asking for a subpoena either. Most court employees are under STRICT rules about helping people with these things. You ask for the correct document. I went through this back in 2008 in Habersham County. I went into the clerk's office and asked for and got this subpoena and then took it and actually served it on the Habersham County Sheriff. At trial, I had this video and the deputy was there.

 

No, it's still an open case. Just wait until you do your yearly update. Stop worrying, you are fine either way!

 

I’d recommend getting a lawyer and fighting any and every traffic ticket

keeping your record clean is very important.

I got a couple of speeding tickets and the lawyer usually was able to do a plea bargain when I pleaded guilty in exchange for a 12 month suspended sentence .
If I didn’t get another traffic ticket in 12 months in that jurisdiction, then the first one was dismissed.

of course I had to pay the lawyer , pay the ticket and make a $150 “ donation “ to the Scott county Missouri Crime Reduction Fund . Whatever that is . Probabaly the booze fund for the cops Christmas party .

the only ticket I paid without going to court was when I was bobtailing one block away from my destination and fell asleep and hit a police car.