First speeding ticket, HELP! :( (Charlotte, Matthews: insurance, lawyer, home)
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I have had my license for over 10yrs and have pride in my safe driving. Yesterday I was on Hwy 601 coming through pageland on the way home in Matthews. It is wide open country road with very light traffic. Long story short I ended up getting pulled for 71 in a 55 by a NC State Trooper. I am so embarrassed and my job depends on a clean driving record.
Can anyone tell me a good lawyer to take up my case? I really need to fight this thing because I have 2 young children to care for. I drive about 5000+ miles per month covering three states for service calls so I am always on the road.
First, call the Safety and Health Council of NC in Charlotte. See if the county where the ticket was written has signed on for the safety classes offered that gives the driver a pray for judgement continued (PJC). That way you don't have to go to the expense to get a lawyer. Since the ticket was 16 mph over, you will have to go to court eventually and if the Safety & Health Council has a course for you, you will pay the cost of court plus the cost of the court. The District Attorney, if you ask, will drop the speed to 9 mph over the limit. You get a free-bee from your insurance company - it's in the insurance regs. Note that you can check on-line at the Safety and Health Council of NC web site and determine if the county is covered in their program. Keep in mind that with 15 over the limit, you will still have to go to court. With your record, I believe the DA will look favorably on your case.
Wouldn't it more cost efficient to pay for the fine instead of getting a lawyer + paying court fees? And I am sure your job, whichever it may be, will forgive you for 1 speeding ticket now c'mon.
You will getting quite a few letters from lawyers to represent you within the next 7 days. All the fees will probably be the same. Husband had 2 speeding tickets in the past 3 years. Most recent was 5 months ago. He hired a lawyer and the ticket was lower to a moving violation instead. No point on license. Thinking total cost for court , ticket and lawyer fees were about $ 300 .
Wouldn't it more cost efficient to pay for the fine instead of getting a lawyer + paying court fees? And I am sure your job, whichever it may be, will forgive you for 1 speeding ticket now c'mon.
I've always wondered the same thing myself. But it seems that the advantage to getting the lawyer and/or doing the other stuff keeps points off your license.
Wouldn't it more cost efficient to pay for the fine instead of getting a lawyer + paying court fees? And I am sure your job, whichever it may be, will forgive you for 1 speeding ticket now c'mon.
It is never more cost efficient to pay a speeding ticket because the insurance costs in your premium will be effected. The fine itself can be small but a bump in premiums for three years is not - better to spend $250 or so on a lawyer now rather than $1,000 over three years.
Best bet is hiring a lawyer that can get the ticket changed to a non-moving violation - since you have a clean record it is probably doable. If not, changed to a 9-over or something that will not effect insurance and your record so much. Like others have said, you will get a mountain of offers once you hit the books so feel free to call around and find someone that you think can really help you for a good price.
I would not take a PFJ unless it was absolutely the last option - its a three-year suspended sentence so if anything else happens you can get nailed twice. No need to have that axe over your head for three years.
Always fight a speeding ticket. Something like 95% of people just pay the fine because they think it is easier, but hiring a lawyer to take care of it for you is the better option.
It is never more cost efficient to pay a speeding ticket because the insurance costs in your premium will be effected. The fine itself can be small but a bump in premiums for three years is not - better to spend $250 or so on a lawyer now rather than $1,000 over three years.
Bingo.
And if you are driving a company vehicle and subject to D.O.T. rules, it goes on the employers D.O.T. record as well. Can create some real problems all around.
Don't know if CSaunders falls into that category but he did say he was concerned about his driving record for his job.
I went through this once driving out in California. Paid a lot of money to a lawyer out there to get it dismissed and it was worth it. Probably saved myself a lot of money in the long run because I didn't have my insurance rates go up, it is not on my or my employers insurance record, D.O.T. record and no points.
That was the first moving violation that I received since 1973. I wasn't about to have that sitting on my license record.
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