If it’s a traffic violation you have a good chance of the cop no showing to court.
And if it's below $1000, people often represent themselves because everyone knows lawyers are too expensive to justify it.
Yup, and most tickets in my area are like $100-150, assuming it's just speeding and not insanely fast (i.e. <20mph over, most cops will cut it to 10 over on a first violation).
Not around here. Cops live for traffic court. They sit around all day doing very little.
not anymore
At least in the US, you should always get a lawyer for traffic tickets. The real cost isn’t whatever the court charges you, it’s whatever your insurance does.
My understanding is usually you can go before the judge and explain that the higher insurance rates will be a burden for you. Usually you don't necessarily need a lawyer to go and ask for that. The judge will often add some stipulations like double the fine you pay now, and you can't get another ticket for a certain amount of time.
When I lived in Illinois they had formalized the process and called it "court supervision" which is an option you can check on the ticket, but you do have to appear in court. Can't get another speeding ticket for a year, and they won't report it to insurance.
When I got a second speeding ticket though after 11 months, I did hire a lawyer. He requested continuance for me, so that by the time they heard the case, it had been 12 months, and I could do a second court supervision. Since then I decided to try to avoid getting more tickets.
Every time I talk to people about going to court for a speeding ticket, everyone shares the same story:
The judge is very fair. Sometimes, they shave the fee significantly. Sometimes they cancel it.
I don't fully understand judges and what they get assigned. But it feels like getting the cool substitute teacher when to go to contest a speeding ticket.
Yup, I did that as a kid with my first speeding ticket, and got it placed on deferral. I didn't even need to talk to the judge, I just went to pay the fine and they offered that as an option. Basically, as long as I didn't get another ticket for 7 years, it would be as if it never happened. My ticket went from $100 -> $150, but my insurance would've gone up way more than that.
So, I drove extra careful until I moved out, and I got my second ticket around 7-8 years later, but in a different state (traveling near Las Vegas w/ flow of traffic...). I currently have a clean driving record, and I didn't get a ding on my insurance until those dings meant a lot less (mid to late 20s).
id rather pay a lawyer than reward the state for puking in my ass
