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What do you mean by this? Don't go into court and ask the judge for "help" with your poor driving skills or your distracted driving habit. Is your hope that the judge will "sentence" you to driving school? Even if he does, it will almost certainly cost you as much or more than the fine. (edit: per the link, if you were cited under the municipal ordinance, it appears that driving school is not an option anyway).
In many states they allow you to go to driving school to keep the ticket from accumulating points which in the long run will save on your insurance rates.
Last time I received a ticket I went to court. I told the Judge that I was speeding and that I will watch my speed closely in the future and if I could take a defensive driver course to escape points showing up on my record. The judge looked at my record and said 'You haven't had a ticket in many many years, I'll dismiss the ticket'. IIRC, she said as long as I didn't get another ticket within 90 days the ticket would be waived.
When was this? How many years ago? Was it a "municipal" ticket?
I was going off what I read on the website - it says that if the "municipal" box is checked on the ticket, that the fine is mandatory and driver improvement school is not an option. Maybe if the box wasn't checked he has a chance? The OP could go to the website and read all of this himself, and if he has questions there is a phone number he can call to see if he can avoid points through a defensive driving course.
Anecdotes are interesting, and may even offer some insights to the process, but in general I would assume that the information on the website, particularly on this issue, is definitive, and I would call to find out all my options if I were the OP and I shared his concerns about his driving record.
When was this? How many years ago? Was it a "municipal" ticket?
I was going off what I read on the website - it says that if the "municipal" box is checked on the ticket, that the fine is mandatory and driver improvement school is not an option. Maybe if the box wasn't checked he has a chance? The OP could go to the website and read all of this himself, and if he has questions there is a phone number he can call to see if he can avoid points through a defensive driving course.
Anecdotes are interesting, and may even offer some insights to the process, but in general I would assume that the information on the website, particularly on this issue, is definitive, and I would call to find out all my options if I were the OP and I shared his concerns about his driving record.
This was 2 years ago. Here in Albuquerque. I have no clue about a 'municipal ticket' or if a box was checked. Can you provide the link to the website that states what you read?
I don't see anything about a 'municipal' box at the following link. I do see how Driver Improvement School is available for most moving citations to keep points being added to your record.
Note: Look carefully at your citation. If the "ordinance box" is checked on your citation, you have been cited under City ordinance, rather than state law. If so, there are certain differences with which you need to be familiar. The fines for speeding under City ordinance are MANDATORY. Registration and attendance at Driver Improvement School is not a permitted option.
Edit 2: Found some references to speeding ordinances under the old Red Light/Speeding cameras. Those were mandatory but do not accumulate points on your record.
This was 2 years ago. Here in Albuquerque. I have no clue about a 'municipal ticket' or if a box was checked. Can you provide the link to the website that states what you read?
I don't see anything about a 'municipal' box at the following link. I do see how Driver Improvement School is available for most moving citations to keep points being added to your record.
Edit 2: Found some references to speeding ordinances under the old Red Light/Speeding cameras. Those were mandatory but do not accumulate points on your record.
Suffice to say the OP should read the website himself and also call, and i would hope that he would report back to us what he finds out.
The link I read indicated that Driver Imp School is not available for speeding citations, that the fines are mandatory if it is under the "municipal ordinance" and there is some box on the ticket checked indicating such. Increasingly judges are getting their hands tied by laws passed by legislatures and municipalities when it comes to discretionary sentencing.
You can ask to go to a defensive driving class in lieu of the ticket. The class is a few hours long on one day. I went to one about 16 years ago. I just looked online and the 4 hour class is $15 and the 6 hour class is $30. The judge would decide which class, but most likely it would be the 4 hour class for a speeding ticket. If you take the class, the ticket won't go on your record. You can only take this option of going to the class once every 3 years, so if you get another ticket within 3 years, you'd have to pay it.
One time years ago my husband went to traffic court because he fought a ticket he received for honking at someone who was parallel parking downtown who took a long time trying to park thus blocking traffic. Anyway, when people were going through the medal detector at the courthouse a guy in front of him was emptying change out of his pockets, when a bag if pot fell out. That guy was taken aside and handcuffed. So, my advice upon entering the courthouse is to not have anything stupid in your pockets. Also, don't call the judge "Judge." Address him/her as "Your Honor" and say please and thank you.
BTW, my husband's ticket got dismissed. The judge read the ticket, looked at the police officer and said, "Are you kidding me? Can tickets even be written for honking?"
Suffice to say the OP should read the website himself and also call, and i would hope that he would report back to us what he finds out.
The link I read indicated that Driver Imp School is not available for speeding citations, that the fines are mandatory if it is under the "municipal ordinance" and there is some box on the ticket checked indicating such. Increasingly judges are getting their hands tied by laws passed by legislatures and municipalities when it comes to discretionary sentencing.
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Also, don't call the judge "Judge." Address him/her as "Your Honor" and say please and thank you. 
