Our office accepts e-mails from parties that visit this website, but the sending of such e-mails does not create an attorney-client relationship and therefore these communications cannot be treated as privileged or confidential. It is now time to prepare your case. When you receive a speeding ticket or traffic citation, you always have the option to pay the fine and accept the points. You can submit a discovery subpoena to the court to get certain documents that may help your case. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 106,613 times. You have 10 days to respond to the citation. That lawyer can help you review your driving record, the ticket, and the potential consequences to decide if it is worth your time, money, and effort to contest the ticket. A speeding ticket costs anywhere from $50 up to $2,500 in some states in the severest cases. Sometimes, just showing up means you win. How much can I save by refinancing my car? We offer a quick and easy solution to help you win against unfair speeding tickets without the stress of a court appearance. 13. Pleading "Guilty with explanation" means you admit to speeding but want to the court to take certain circumstances into consideration, which may result in your insurance premiums staying the same. Alabama; Alaska; . We use cookies to make wikiHow great. If, for example, you're trying to prove the officer pulled over the wrong car ask if he remembers that there were two other blue Honda Civics on the highway that morning. Why You Should Fight A Speeding Ticket Get you tickets dismissed easy. Ask specifics. When paying online, enter all required information and use your credit or debit card to pay the fine and additional charges, such as transaction fees. dispute the ticket. Select whether or not you want the letter mailed to the traffic ticket issuer on your behalf! Get your attitude right. Traffic school is one of the best options for most people who get a speeding ticket, so you should at least check to see if it's an option where you live. Someone at the DMV should be able to help you print your driving record for a small fee. Thankfully, there are successful ways to fight a speeding ticket. If the officer, for example, does not remember it was raining and a Tuesday he might not look like a less reliable witness. Experienced Legal Advice When The Future Is At Stake. A few tears while explaining the circumstances and showing extreme remorse may be all that is needed. Subscribe to stay in the loop & on the road! You should also get some information on the patrol car regarding any recent repairs or damages to the car. 1) Admit guilt and pay the fine, 2) Attend a defensive driving class (at your expense) 3) Request a trial be set by mail. If the officer clocks you at greater than 11 miles over the speed limit the ticket grows to $500. But you do have an option you can fight your speeding ticket. Your driver's license could be canceled, no matter how good your . This will involve going to court. You can call in witnesses, including any passengers in the car when the ticket was issued. But for a civil complaint such as simple speeding - do not pay! wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. First, look over your citation. If you accept a plea bargain and plead guilty, your car insurance rates could go up! Comparing auto insurance rates after speeding tickets. A sympathetic officer may be more likely to issue a warning instead of a ticket. Outcomes may include: You pay all or some of the ticket, but it doesnt affect your driving record. You may notify them: Online (court's website) By phone At the hearing, the examiner will decide whether to implement a 30 day suspension based on the facts in your case. However, an appeal is not a new trial with new witnesses. If there are any discrepancies in the nature of the violation, you can dispute the ticket within 30 days. Lacie Glover is an insurance editor and writer and a NerdWallet authority on insurance. In other cases, fighting the ticket may be the best option. If you recently received a speeding ticket in PA, don't just pay the fine without a fight. If you've lost your ticket, contact the county court for information. Your trial will occur within 45 days of the day you enter you plea. As soon as you've entered your plea, begin preparing for trial. Sit back and relax while we do the work. Evidence could include dashcam video or GPS data from a smartphone app, or photographic evidence that a speed limit sign was obscured. Remember, only 50% of people who fight traffic tickets get their tickets dismissed. If there were many other cars similar to yours on the road that day, the officer may have pulled you over by mistake. The PA traffic court may also appoint you counsel if you meet the following criteria: At a pre-trial conference you (or your attorney) will meet with a Pennsylvania state prosecutor to try to work out a plea bargain. Ask questions you think might help your case. If you end up going to trial before a judge, you can expect the process to follow this general outline: If you'd like to pursue your case after a guilty verdict and sentencing, you can file an appeal with the PA Court of Common Pleas with the county court where you received your citation. These lawyers typically specialize in DUIs and more serious cases, but some take speeding ticket cases. Pennsylvania police use a number or different methods to track vehicle speed and issue citations. Log-in to DoNotPay and find the Speeding Ticket product. 1999 - 2023 DMV.ORG. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Fight Your PA Traffic Ticket in Court The steps to fighting your Pennsylvania traffic ticket can differ from court to court, though generally, the process consists of the following: Pre-trial conference. You do not want the officer to think you are being hostile or reaching for a weapon. Do what the officer asks of you without arguing or getting defensive. Traffic Citations, Speeding Ticket Attorney Plantation - Melanie E. Horowitz, PATraffic Citations, Speeding Ticket Attorney Plantation - Melanie E. Horowitz, PA Description. Instruction manuals include maintenance schedules you can question the officer about, and they may note radar gun weaknesses, for example. You need to address the ticket and start fighting it right away. You can view a breakdown of Pennsylvania's traffic fines, updated in 2014, on the Traffic Injury Prevention Project website. Considering the costs, hiring a lawyer is likely worth the money if your ticket is particularly expensive or could result in the loss of your license. As the officer is exiting his car, roll down the driver's side window. How much trouble depends on your state: You could be arrested or have to pay larger fines, or your license could be suspended. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); jQuery(document).on(click, .wpcf7-submit, function(e){ Call 610-565-9696 or contact us online to speak with an attorney today. Once you get a red light camera ticket, you first need to check the instructions on the violation. If ANY of the rules below are not followed, a driver will have a solid case against the speeding ticket. If the prosecution fails to prove the case against you, you will be found not guilty. 2. In most cases, this includes the Pennsylvania traffic ticket fine AND any court costs and surcharges. Look out for your traffic ticket issuer's response to discover whether you won! Over the phone by calling (800) 492-2656. Contact the Pennsylvania traffic court in the county where you received your citation for more specific information on how to enter your plea of not guilty. Arguably, both are required to accurately testify to speed and identity of the correct vehicle. Whatever you do, dont ignore the ticket. You're only asking questions. However, this does not influence our evaluations. The defendant is you, as you're the person fighting charges. If convicted of failing to drive at a safe speed while driving 11+ mph above the posted speed limit or involved in a crash in an active work zone, you will automatically lose your license for 15 days. However, if you want to give some answer do not admit guilt here. So, in response to the first letter, I mailed them back the following letter (copied and pasted): I received a letter claiming I committed a violation of a speeding law in the District of Columbia on 04/21/2012. Politely ask the officer if he can move the court appearance to the county seat. If you're trying to prove his radar system was faulty, ask if he was aware at the time of the citation his radar device was 3 weeks overdue for basic maintenance. Your best chances to win the argument will be if you have physical proof you werent speeding. As per the instructions, I am writing to plead 'not guilty' to this charge. A plea bargain will require that you change your plea to guilty in exchange for reduced penalties. Do not sell or share my personal information. Show Up To Court. Traffic Violations Providing evidence, testimony and if appropriate, witnesses The opportunity to be represented by an attorney Testimony by the officer who issued the ticket Cross-examination of the officer by your attorney Losing the opportunity to plead outright to lower charges If convicted of vehicular homicide in an active work zone, drivers will be given up to five additional years of jail time. Remember, this is not an admission of guilt. NerdWallet strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. That's it! Join 1,972,984 Americans who searched for Car Insurance Rates: In Pennsylvania, you must submit your plea of not guilty to the traffic court handling your case, within 10 days of receiving the traffic citation, if you wish to fight your ticket. NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID# 1617539, NMLS Consumer Access|Licenses and Disclosures, California: California Finance Lender loans arranged pursuant to Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Finance Lenders License #60DBO-74812, Property and Casualty insurance services offered through NerdWallet Insurance Services, Inc. (CA resident license no. In addition to the speeding fine, drivers also must pay a surcharge based on the mph over the Maximum Speed Limits outlined in the table below. You can question the issuing officer, including about his or her memory and training with speed-clocking equipment. If you are found guilty, you will also have to pay the penalties and fines. Why Fight a Speeding Ticket? The police officer, if he shows up, will be the main witness of the prosecution. Providing evidence, testimony and if appropriate, witnesses, The opportunity to be represented by an attorney, Testimony by the officer who issued the ticket, Cross-examination of the officer by your attorney, Losing the opportunity to plead outright to lower charges, Listens to testimony from the officer citing you as well as your own testimony (Here is where your attorney can be helpful and speak on your behalf). Be polite, dont argue, and try to be unremarkable. If you were speeding due to an emergency, consider pleading "Guilty with explanation," which may prevent your insurance premiums from going up. A trial gives you an opportunity to fight the traffic ticket in front of a judge or jury, and most people prefer to hire a traffic ticket . Now that I got the basics out of the way, I'll get into the tactics to beat your photo radar ticket. When your driving privileges are on the line, it isnt just a speeding ticket. Some jurisdictions use similar technology for other traffic violations, such as illegal rail crossings or toll violations. I'm really angered by this and want to know what I can do to plead my case. Our opinions are our own. Do not refuse to sign the citation. Winning the case will result in a refund of the collateral you have paid and protect your driving record. You have the right to remain silent. Instruction manuals include maintenance schedules you can question the officer about, and they may note radar gun weaknesses, for example. If all this sounds like more than youd want to handle on your own, you can enlist a traffic lawyer to help you. Exceeding a speed limit by 16 to 25 miles per hour. Check the PAePay websiteto see if the traffic court your ticket was assigned to accepts online payments, as it varies by county. In some cases, you may be able to look up your traffic ticket online. Drivers who rack up too many points face consequences like having to take a driver improvement course and license suspension. How Long Do You Have to Pay a Speeding Ticket? A bailiff will help conduct the ceremony of a trial. Each time you reach 6 points on your record, there are consequences: You will need to take a written exam about safe driving practices and the penalties for violating them. In fact, roughly half of the drivers who do take a speeding ticket to traffic court end up winning the fight. If you are clocked at 11 miles over the speed limit, the fine is $35 plus $2 for each mile greater than 5 over the speed limit. Using DoNotPay is a simple way to avoid paying unfair speeding tickets and dealing with higher insurance rates for several years after getting convicted of speeding in Pennsylvania. This information may be different than what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider or specific products site. You can verify the status of your driving record at the DMV. Each traffic offense carries 2-5 points. How Many Points Is a Speeding Ticket In Florida? This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Fighting speeding tickets in Pennsylvania can be easier than you think if you enlist the help of DoNotPay. Speeding Ticket in Pennsylvania | Ticket Counsel Speeding Ticket in Pennsylvania Fines and Fees Speeding 1-10 miles over: 2 - 4 points / $85 - $170 Speeding 11 - 15 miles over: 3 - 5 points / $115 - $235 Speeding 16 - 24 miles over: 4 - 6 points / $135 - $306 Speeding 25 - 35 miles over: 5 - 7 points / $160 - $380 That way you can decide whether to contest the ticket or pay the fine. For more tips from our Legal co-author, like how to prepare for your speeding ticket trial, read on! Thank you for your time. Fighting a speeding ticket is about 3 goals: keeping your driving record clear. Consider hiring a traffic ticket lawyer PRIOR to your court appearance (s). An appellate court will only look to see if any legal errors were made and whether these errors affected the final decision in the case. Know when to fight The time to fight that traffic ticket isn't when the officer is writing you up. If your driving record is otherwise spotless and the ticket is for 11 or less miles over the speed limit, the least expensive option is to enter a plea of No Contest or Guilty and pay the fine. Do not say, "I was going 62 in a 55 zone," for example. Motorists can be cited for exceeding the speed limit by only one mph. How a speeding ticket is classified depends on several factors. Go to the Traffic Division's website at courts.phila.gov/traffic. Even if you were clocked at 26 miles per hour, the ticket is under $50. Turn your car off, and turn the. If you are caught speeding there, you will receive a fine and three points are added to your driving record. The cost for PA speeding tickets varies according to the speeding scale fineover the posted speed limit. Check the PAePay website to see if the traffic court your ticket was assigned to accepts online payments, as it varies by county. How Many Points Is a 10 MPH Over Speeding Ticket? Show respect in your actions and words. It is merely an acknowledgment that you received the citation and understand you're receiving a speeding ticket. In addition to the financial costs of a traffic ticket, you also need to consider the points assessed. However, a traffic ticket can end up costing you a lot more money in insurance premiums, and winning your case may be easier than you think. However, this can only be used once. You may also be required to pass an on-road drivers exam. You usually have to post bail in the amount of the fine, so check with the court to make sure you have the proper amount and proper payment method. 4 ways to beat a speeding ticket. The radar will release a radio wave at one frequency. Successfully overturning 200,000 tickets, DoNotPay understands the steps to make traffic tickets go away without paying ridiculous fees. If the officer doesnt show up at the hearing, you could be off the hook, but dont rely on that. You have the right to a court trial with a judge. You can fight your traffic ticket by scheduling a court hearing. To do so, alert the court within 10 days of receiving the notice that you are pleading not guilty. I am preparing to dispute this fine, as I firmly believe that I was not moving at such a rate of speed that could be considered dangerous/reckless by any means. Several hundred dollars are now being demanded from you because the camera captured your car and license plate. MORE: Comparing auto insurance rates after speeding tickets. Unfortunately, enrolling in a defensive driving course will not reduce points on your Pennsylvania driving record. In most cases, pa tickets points reduction will end up with you getting between 2 to 5 points. Fighting with the police officer never increases your chances of leniency. How to pay a speeding ticket in Maryland. This article has been viewed 106,613 times. Number two: If you get charged with a criminal offense such as reckless or negligent driving, DUI, vehicular homicide or hit-and-run, hire an attorney. How to Fight a Speeding Ticket If you get a speeding ticket, you may think your only course of action is to pay the fine, accept the points from PennDOT and watch your insurance rates go up. When you appear, the judge will; If you are found not guilty, you may still be responsible for the cost of the attorney and court costs. Maryland Uniform Traffic Citation Payment Kiosk. If you plead "not guilty," focus your defense on either challenging the officer's means of measuring your speed or his identification of your automobile. If you do not have previous traffic violations and have a clean driving record, bringing this kind of evidence to court can help your case. Whether you live in the PA city where you received the ticket or want to commute back to the area, pay for your speeding ticket in Pennsylvania in person by going to the court stated on your ticket. But, in order to properly pace a vehicle, the officer must take certain steps. So how do we make money? The goal is to avoid the speeding ticket going on your driving abstract, so that your insurance is not affected. You need an experienced defense attorney on your side to review the ticket, your driving history, and any defenses available to you. If you decide to fight the ticket in court. 1. Fighting a Camera Speeding Ticket in Maryland Responding to a Photo Enforced Speeding Ticket Reasons to Challenge the Citation Avoid the $40 Fee and Fight the Charge Responding to a Photo Enforced Speeding Ticket Maryland drivers have three options for responding to a traffic ticket. This stretch of road is right around the corner of my house and I drive it every morning to work in another district, so I'm familiar with the protocols when children are crossing the street to the school on the other side. Therefore, you will incur the cost of the speeding ticket, and the PA Department of Transportation may add points to your driving record. Find an attorney who has a lot of experience, especially if you have any special circumstances regarding the situation. You should probably avoid testifying against yourself while fighting a speeding ticket as it is unnecessary and could make you look bad. Go back to the scene of the citation. The options that the traffic court gives you are: pay the ticket. Even if you think the ticket is unjustified, speeding violations are hard to beat. Submit a request for certain public records. When evaluating offers, please review the financial institutions Terms and Conditions. How to Get a Speeding Ticket Dismissed In Tennessee Quickly. Pre-qualified offers are not binding. This will not work on every police officer, so the driver will need to read them to see what might be effective. You should sketch a diagram of the scene that includes all roads, making the width of lanes, traffic controls like lights and signs, the location of your vehicle and the officer's vehicle when you were pulled over, any buildings, power lines, foliage, fences, or other notable features of the area.
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