If you’re like most people, you’ve probably been pulled over at some point in your life for traveling a little too fast on the road. The occasional speeding ticket won’t result in jail time, but it can prove costly on the wallet, which is why many people try to contest the citation in court. The problem is, they oftentimes make costly mistakes along the way. In today’s blog, we spotlight some mistakes that people commonly make when contesting their speeding ticket in court.
Mistakes To Avoid When Challenging A Speeding Ticket
If you want any chance at successfully challenging your speeding ticket in court, avoid these common pitfalls.
1. Missed Deadlines – Your ticket should say when your first appearance is scheduled. If you miss this court appearance or don’t take any action by the posted date, the court may consider this inaction as acceptance of the ticket and a default judgment. Show up for court, or connect with the court to reschedule if you can’t make the original date work.
2. Not Preparing Your Story – Don’t just go in there and wing it. Think about the interaction, write down your side of the story, and take a little time to practice telling your story or answering some common questions you may be asked about the incident. You want to sound polished, not rehearsed, but rehearsed is better than unprepared.
3. Not Bringing Your Proof – If you have anything that can help prove your side of the story, bring it to court. Perhaps you have a dash camera that records your speed, or you can showcase that the officer did not have a clear visual of your vehicle and couldn’t accurately gauge your speed. You’ll want to bring more to court than simply your word versus the cop, so think about some of the ways you can prove that you were not speeding or that the officer’s version of events may be inaccurate.
4. Not Negotiating With The Prosecution – Prosecutors are pretty busy, and if they can lighten their case load and get a win under their belt by agreeing to a plea deal, they may do it. Consider contacting the prosecution’s office to see if they’d be willing to talk about the possibility of broaching a deal. You can likely avoid a worse case scenario by working directly with the prosecution for many speeding or traffic offenses.
5. Not Talking With An Attorney – As we’ve mentioned many times, we’re not going to tell you to hire a lawyer for a $150 speeding ticket, because it doesn’t make financial sense for both sides. However, if your speeding ticket also comes with the possibility of increased car insurance premiums or the loss of your license, you need to consult with a lawyer. Even if you don’t end up hiring the firm, they can typically provide some helpful advice on your next steps and leave you feeling more confident in how you’ll contest the matter on your own in court.
Avoid these mistakes if you’re ever faced with challenging a speeding ticket in court, and connect with the team at Appelman Law Firm at (952) 224-2277 for personalized advice or legal help if you’re facing criminal charges.
