Two Tickets in Houston - Under 21 (Dallas, Pasadena: car insurance, attorney, construction)

[Fubarian]

Thanks for reading this guy I'd appreciate some advice as I don't know what I should do at this point.

About a month ago I received a speeding ticket in Manvel for speeding in a school zone, the ticket is $224.75 and required me to show up to the city court to get it dealt with. I was originally planning to plead not guilty, but I read somewhere online if you plead not guilty than you become ineligible for the Defensive Driving course or for Deferred Disposition (http://www.cityofmanvel.com/Municipal%20Court.shtml). I have a court date set up in January, however I have a concern. I read today on the City of Manvel website that if I wanted to request DSC or Deferred Disposition that I would have to do that by the response date on the citation itself. When I appeared to court and spoke with the ticket clerk lady, she simply asked me if I wanted to pay for the ticket or if I wanted her to set a court date for me. However, I was unaware that I was required to specify that I wanted either DSC or DD to the clerk lady at that point, rather than at court.

I'm waiting till Monday to inquire a bit more on this.

A mere two hours ago, I was issued another ticket for speeding in Houston. These are my first two tickets ever.

At this point I'm planning to request Deferred Disposition for my second ticket and DSC for my first. However after reading that I was required to specify that I wanted DSC/DD prior or on the appearance date for my first ticket, I am unsure what to do.

Another issue, I read somewhere that if you are under 21 and were issued two tickets, your license can be revoked. However, I am unsure if this is just for people with provisional license or everyone with an "Under 21" license. I am under 21 however I believe I have a regular Texas Drivers license as I drive alone. My license doesn't say provisional but it does say "Under 21". Does this mean my license is provisional or do I not have to worry about this?

Am I still able to request DSC for the first ticket (in Manvel) even if I failed to specify by the date on the ticket?

What do you guys think? I will do anything possible to not get an increased insurance premium as my dad pays for my car insurance and he recently retired.

TLDR:
Got a ticket in Manvel about a month ago, but just learned today that if I wanted to take a Defensive Driving Course or use Deferred Disposition that I would need to notify the court clerk lady before the date on the ticket. All I did was go to the clerk lady and tell her that I wanted a court date, didn't tell her anything about the Defensive driving course or DD. Would I still be able to request the above? Got another ticket today in Houston, which I plan to exercise Differed Disposition to drop. I am under 21 and have gotten two tickets in the past two months. I am aware that if you get two tickets while being 21 and having a provisional license you will get your license suspended. I am under 21 however I have a Valid Texas Drivers License. It says under 21 on it but it does not say provisional. I drive by myself if that makes anything more clear.

One last question: Does your insurance premium go up/points on your record go up immediately after you receive the ticket? Meaning, if I got a ticket today, would my insurance premium and points my record go up before I have a chance to appear before court and assess my situation? Or does your points/premium go up only happen after you appear to court and have the judge determine?

[eastontracks]

Don't you see the flashing yellow lights when you enter a school zone? The entire thing you wrote and 2 tickets could've been avoided if you simply stopped speeding.

On another note, chances one ticket will hit your record and your insurance premium goes up. I'm sure both can be dropped though w some help w a traffic attorney.

[jfre81]

So yeah, the flashing school zone lights in Manvel are hanging over Highway 6. Let this be a lesson. Especially those small towns on the highways like that, they're looking for all the revenue they can take. People like you keep it coming in. Also, read all the paperwork. You'll save yourself even more grief. This extends beyond traffic tickets.

[georgemichael]

as for still being able to request DD or deferred that is up to the Judge. be nice and address the Judge as "your Honor" and be as friendly and likely as possible then cross your fingers for good luck. if the judge is in a bad mood chances are they will stick to the ticket wording. if the judge is in a good mood then they might let it slide being as your are a relatively new driver. as it is you gave the City of Manvel's representation the power the just say no to you. nothing anyone can tell you can change that unless they have some dirt on the judge. :P

as for the ticket and insurance going up, it used to work like this: no, your insurance did not go up. unless for some reason the insurance company ran your driving record again or you gave them a reason to run it again like trying to get cheaper insurance or got a different car or switched insurance companies. of course once they did run the driving record again then they might stick it to you some depending on the insurance company. with the new modern digital age though I don't know if it still works this way or if some greedy insurance companies have a way to be auto-notified or perhaps they run a report each month? my guess is they don't if there is no automated system because that could be a huge report if the agent has lots of clients and most agents aren't that great with the modern digital age. their worker bees do the brunt of that work for them.

maybe some insurance agent is on the forums here and can enlighten us.

[TexasTony]

I can only speak for city of Houston since I recently got a ticket (speed trap setup). It said on my ticket that if I was speeding in school or construction zone and going 20 over speed limit I cannot register for class or deferred adj. Since I was going 5 over the speed limit and it wasn't a school/construction zone I sent in the $115 and take 30 mins of my bed time story every night till the 6 hrs are up....usually insurance goes up at the time of renewal and certain cases the insurance might even cancel in the middle of policy as I have heard from a few folks.

[Fubarian]

While I appreciate the advice, I've been going through Highway 6 every single day for the past two years and have never gotten a single ticket. I know where the school zones begin and end, and I've never had a problem except this one issue. It's basically the officers word over mine as to whether or not I passed the white line on the road that allows me to return to normal speed; and I'm fairly certain I was over it.

[DSL_PWR]

Be prepared to pay up. School zone tickets are hard to get dismissed and I hope you don't get it dismissed. There's no need for speedi in a school zone.

Also you can't request defensive driving again for Harris county since you planned to do it for the school zone ticket. They'll ask if you've taken defensive driving in the last X months.

[AlfredB1979]

Originally Posted by DSL_PWR

Be prepared to pay up. School zone tickets are hard to get dismissed and I hope you don't get it dismissed. There's no need for speedi in a school zone.

Also you can't request defensive driving again for Harris county since you planned to do it for the school zone ticket. They'll ask if you've taken defensive driving in the last X months.

Funny you mention that, because I was in the JP's court over in Alvin for some reason that evades me and Judge Jozwiak was allow exactly that for those who had taken DD more recently than the year prior.

Anyway, OP, I think you're fine going for deferred on one ticket and defensive driving on the other. Got at ticket a few years back in Dallas County (defensive driving) and one the next fall in Pasadena and got deferred for that. No big deal.

Then again, I guy I was in line with in Pasadena couldn't do the driving course because he was under 25. Maybe that is a Pasadena thing.

Yes, you do have to plead guilty to get the driving course or deferred...otherwise, you get stuck in trial.

[lipbalm]

welcome to the racket of traffic citations.

You are going to pay one way or another. Citation itself, DD course /" court costs" and or increased insurance premiums.