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These legal technicalities are very state specific so you should rely on somebody who knows the law in the state where you got the ticket.
That being said, your choice can't be between guilty and no contest. There has to be a not guilty option also.
Guilty and no contest mean the same thing, as far as I have ever seen. In my state, if you choose not to fight the ticket, you plead no contest. If you fight it and lose, then you are guilty. Either way, the ticket is on your driving record though there are sometimes extra penalties to being found guilty after fighting it.
These legal technicalities are very state specific so you should rely on somebody who knows the law in the state where you got the ticket.
That being said, your choice can't be between guilty and no contest. There has to be a not guilty option also.
Guilty and no contest mean the same thing, as far as I have ever seen. In my state, if you choose not to fight the ticket, you plead no contest. If you fight it and lose, then you are guilty. Either way, the ticket is on your driving record though there are sometimes extra penalties to being found guilty after fighting it.
There is always a not guilty plea option but that will require you going to court. He said the guilty or no-contest were the only options on the page to pay the ticket and not have to go to court. Why would there be a Not Guilty option on the ticket payment page?
There is no practical difference between the two options because if you plead No Contest the judge is going to enter a guilty verdict and it will go on your record, which does not denote how you pleaded. The appearance of the violation on your record is prima facie evidence that you were convicted because dismissals and acquittals never appear on your public record.
yeah..."guilty" and "no contest" are essentially the same...the only difference I think if it is connected to some other legal matters. In this case this does not appear to be, so you are essentially doing the same as pleading guilty.
If this were a DUI or an accident or such, I'd say take the lumps, you earned them.
I've never understood this mindset.
This isn't Denmark, where a collaborative justice system works to rehabilitate and do what it takes to ensure you don't offend again.
This is the USA, where we punish. It is incumbent on you to look out for your best interests, no matter what.
I can guarantee you if you hit someone in a moments inattention you wouldn't say that. You would clam up and go through your insurance company/attorney.
Get a traffic attorney,(google the reviews of that attorney)
Explain the situation to the attorney.
I'm a hardcore DIY'er,but when it comes to court,my experience is get an attorney. I once paid 50 bucks (ticket was almost 200)
for ten over (35 on a 25)
Well I never had to make any court appearances, and it got dismissed. Good Luck.
A good attorney charges $300 - $500 per hour. To make it practical to hire an attorney your options are:
Have an attorney spend no more than 15 -30 minutes on your ticket.
Find a really bad attorney who has no idea what they are doing and cannot get work at typical rates.
In either instance, you can do a better job on your own. Take some time to learn the system, even go down to the courthouse and watch and ask people what happened when the met with the prosecutor (over 99% make a deal for a guilty/no contest please in exchange for reduced penalty or no points).
A good attorney charges $300 - $500 per hour. To make it practical to hire an attorney your options are:
Have an attorney spend no more than 15 -30 minutes on your ticket.
Find a really bad attorney who has no idea what they are doing and cannot get work at typical rates.
In either instance, you can do a better job on your own. Take some time to learn the system, even go down to the courthouse and watch and ask people what happened when the met with the prosecutor (over 99% make a deal for a guilty/no contest please in exchange for reduced penalty or no points).
The attorney I used in New York charged a $500 flat fee, no result (i.e. reduction of ticket), no fee.
In my case, he got a result. The ticket which was 82 in a 65 zone was reduced to a moving violation, which meant a lower fine, no points, no impact on my insurance. It was worth the money.
As I don't live in New York and was just passing through, doing it on my own was not a good option. So I did my due diligence (i.e. looking at reviews, client references/comments, etc.) and was happy with my choice of attorney.
When it comes to most traffic violations, it is a bit of a game and a bit of a scam with cities making money out of fines and fees and the insurance companies piling on. The system relies on people pleading guilty and paying their money. The attorney told me straight out that he would plead it down. In his words, the city gets their money, he gets his fee and I get no points, lower fine and no insurance impact. Courts are so backed up that they are more than ready to take a plea to get the case out of the system.
The attorney I used in New York charged a $500 flat fee, no result (i.e. reduction of ticket), no fee.
In my case, he got a result. The ticket which was 82 in a 65 zone was reduced to a moving violation, which meant a lower fine, no points, no impact on my insurance. It was worth the money.
As I don't live in New York and was just passing through, doing it on my own was not a good option. So I did my due diligence (i.e. looking at reviews, client references/comments, etc.) and was happy with my choice of attorney.
When it comes to most traffic violations, it is a bit of a game and a bit of a scam with cities making money out of fines and fees and the insurance companies piling on. The system relies on people pleading guilty and paying their money. The attorney told me straight out that he would plead it down. In his words, the city gets their money, he gets his fee and I get no points, lower fine and no insurance impact. Courts are so backed up that they are more than ready to take a plea to get the case out of the system.
A speed limit of 65 probably means the NYS Thruway. No one goes just 65 there. While speed matters in case of an emergency for the municipalities it is like shooting fish in a barrel.
I have to wonder with the OP getting passed into the zone that maybe in his favor, I'm not sure.
Why? It doesn't change the fact that the OP was speeding.
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