Earning your first or second traffic violation can be shocking or unexpected, especially if you are usually a safe and cautious driver. While the easiest way to make the ticket go away is to pay and admit guilt, this might not be the most fair or appealing option, particularly if the citation could impact your insurance rates.
The specifics of your case have many variables including your age and driving record, the type of traffic violation you were charged with and the state and county that you were driving in.
Arraignment
Usually your first day in court is called an arraignment and your ticket should tell you when and where you are expected to appear to contest your charges. You might be in a room with a number of other people with tickets. The judge will come in and begin naming cases from their list. Sometimes you will be asked to approach a podium and state your plea, such as to plead guilty or not guilty. In smaller counties, such as those which are well-known for pulling people over, you might sit down with a hired lawyer who will listen to your story and lay out a few options for reducing your citation.
Plead Guilty
While it might seem like a waste of time to show up in court if you decide to plead guilty, judges have the ability to reduce your fines or points. If you do not appear, you will not have this option. Pay attention to what the judge decides to do in other cases similar to your charges. If they are reducing fines for individuals pleading guilty, you have a better chance of getting what you want than if the judge isn’t reducing any charges. If your state allows the completion of traffic school in exchange for eliminating points or having the entire violation removed from your record, you will likely have to admit fault first.
Plead Not Guilty
There are some benefits to pleading not guilty, though it can mean having to go through a traffic court trial. In this case, the judge would subpoena the officer who issued your ticket requesting their presence at the courthouse. If the officer does not appear on your court trial day, you will likely win the case. If you do not have good reason to plead not guilty and are just hoping the officer doesn’t show up and they do, the judge might be less lenient with reducing your fines if you decide last minute to admit fault.
If you have a more serious traffic violation that you think is unfair or adds enough points on your license that may cause it to be suspended, speak with an experienced traffic lawyer in Fairfax, VA, like from May Law, LLP, to discuss the best options in your state and county.