Need Advice on Traffic Ticket (insurance, lawyer, inspection)

[roncorey1]

Need advice from anyone who has had to deal with traffic tickets in Wake County recently.

I got a traffic citation for making a U-turn on a red arrow light at Gresham Lake Road and Capital Blvd.
State trooper pulled me and the fine (as expected) was $50.
BUT the court costs he wrote on the ticket showed $143!!!!

I went to the NC Courts website and it clearly shows that the court costs he wrote are $12 too high. Where he wrote the costs you can even tell he changed it from one number to another as if he changed his mind.

Can I ask Clerk of Court to change this, or do I have to ask the judge at traffic court?

Also, if I do go in front of the judge and plead guilty, what are my chances of getting extra time to pay it off OR can I just ask the Clerk of Court for this?

Any advice would be appreciated....Thanks!

[roncorey1]

Anybody......need advice!

[mcp6453]

It doesn't matter what the officer wrote on the ticket. Court costs and fines are what they are.

Other than pleading guilty, depending on your driving record, if you are nice to the DA on court day, they will some times give you a break. Sometimes judges will give you a PJC. Sometimes the judge will let you take a defensive driving course in exchange for a dismissal.

If the ticket is going to seriously impact your insurance rates, you might want to talk with a lawyer. However, the lawyer will cost you money. And no, the judge will not give you time to pay the ticket. If you handle the case yourself, you may be able to get a continuance on the case. That should give you an extra month to raise the money.

[QuilterChick]

Try to get it straightened out .. it will add a point to your license and your insurance will increase. I just found out I could have pled out of a rolling thru stop sign incident because of high bushes and sign was hidden. Officer was there all day catching people. My insurance went up $400 for one year. And it was not even an intersection.

Don't plead guilty too soon. If you pay the ticket, you admit guilt. That's about all I can offer.

[lovebrentwood]

Call up the court and ask for advice.

A couple months ago, I was stopped within a half a block from where you were but for expired registration. Probably by the same officer. I thought DH took care of the inspection/registration...since he told me he did.

I called the court, and a very nice woman told me to come down to the courthouse between 2 and 4 I think it was, and talk to them. So you should call and get details! It was WELL worth it!

When I went in there, I stood outside the room, like an idiot, waiting for 2 pm to roll around. I should have gone straight in when I got there. When you go into the lobby of the courthouse, through the checkpoint, go to the LEFT. There will be two officers standing there. On their left, go through the door and keep going straight. Then take a right. If you go left, that is the courtroom. Don't go in there.

When you do take that right, there will be a bunch of people snaking around in a long line up to a U-shaped desk. At the U-shaped desk are two magistrates. The entire place seemed filled with people who had done this a MILLION times. Their infractions were a lot worse than mine, too! Many seemed to know each other. The guy standing behind me seemed to be very familiar with the decisions of the male judge and was afraid of getting him; he did end up getting him.

The male judge acted a little like the TV judge with the bat. He loudly made fun of one guy who wanted to be forgiven for some serious stuff. The judge talked to another guy who had PAGES of his infractions -- I guess the judge had printed them out.

The other judge was new, female, and young. I barely had to say anything to her. I just had to prove I already had the car inspected and had the registration. and she had me sign the back of the registration. That was it. All done.

I felt like I had discovered an alternate universe.

You don't have to wait for the court date. CALL first and the nice woman will give you the address and answer your questions.

I think my ticket was $160, but I can't remember. I remember bursting into tears when I got it, and the officer told me to go to the courthouse and I would probably be able to get out of it. It is was the first ticket I ever got for anything, and I've been driving a very long time.

Calling the court first was the best thing I did, though.

Good luck!

[roncorey1]

Thanks for the feedback.