Got a ticket in New York

[kingpin]

Got a ticket near Corning, NY. Clocking 81 on a 65mph zone. Have an NJ drivers license. This is equivalent to 4 Points in NY and according to NJ laws, 2 points will be transferred to NJ. I have a clean history. First time I ever got a ticket.

Not sure if I have to hire a lawyer or plead guilty.

How things will be if I plead guilty and send by mail? Is there going to be a trial and my case is opened on the trial date that I have it on my ticket?

If I plead guilty by mail, and, if the officer doesn't show up on trial date, will the judge dismiss the ticket?


I am not sure if I have to hire a lawyer. The only reason I feel to hire a lawyer without me driving 300 miles to corning is benefit from the situation where the officer doesn't show up.

Not sure how this effects my insurance quote.

Any suggestions is really appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve.

[lofter1]

If I plead guilty by mail, and, if the officer doesn't show up on trial date, will the judge dismiss the ticket?


I'm not a lawyer but methinks if you plead guilty anywhere in the USA then the case is over: You by your own admission are guilty of the act with which you've been charged and must pay the penalty. No trial needed, no testimony, no court action. Failure to pay results in a warrant for your apprehension, which in this age of computers can follow you all over the country. Forever.

Call the county clerk for where this occurred. Talk nice and you can usually get all the info you need -- including a number for legal advice.

[ZippyTheChimp]

There would only be a trial if you plead NOT GUILTY.

You will probably take a hit on insurance premiums, but that should revert back when the points expire.

**On limited access highways, if you keep your speed at no more than 10 miles over the limit, you will be ignored by police monitors. This rule has never failed me in many states since 1994.

**One exception is work-zones. Obey the posted limit.

[Ninjahedge]

Side note, 15 MPH seems to be the critical number. As soon as you went 16 you were at 4 points rather than 2.

A lot of times they pull over only those people for a couple of reasons. One is plea bargaining. I believe that there is a certain degree of variance allowed in speed clocked as opposed to the speed you thought you were going. Some are more lenient with this than others, but you might be able to argue you thought you were going 79.

In order to avoid fighting this, a lot of courts will take a plea bargain for a reduction in speed to reduce points and reduce fee, but also reduce court time for themselves.

This is only in some jurisdictions, YMMV (also, do not take this as a given fact, it is just a popular rumor I have heard quite a lot.)

So, if you follow Zip's rules, you should generally be fine.

It also does not hurt to let someone else cruise on past you! ;)

[nycla3]

First time I ever got a ticket.

Welcome to an elite club. Sucks for sure.

A few years ago I was driving to work and got collared. Noooooo way I was speeding. On my way home the same day on the same stretch of road I tried to re-enact the speed I thought I was going and...bingo. Another one. I tried to tell the officer this really funny story....

A few tickets later and I've learned my best friend is cruise control.