[themistajesta]

I got a $299 speeding ticket in the Bridgeport area. It says on jud.ct.gov that if I plead not guilty and I get found guilty, I may be required to pay court costs. Despite calling the court, etc., I have not been able to find out what those court costs would be. How much more than the $299 could I have to pay. 30 over the speed limit. 14-219(c)(1) speeding violation. No ticket history. Accident history. I'm looking at [url]www.jud.ct.gov/Publications/Infractions/infractions.pdf[/url] and it shows info that doesn't make sense. It seems to say I could have to pay like $700 in court costs or something. Could I have court costs even if I don't do a trial? Any assistance would be appreciated.

[beer belly]

IMO.....30 over the limit....pay the ticket and call it a day.

[mels]

Originally Posted by beer belly

IMO.....30 over the limit....pay the ticket and call it a day.

Agreed. You were traveling at a rate significantly over the posted speed limit and got caught. You messed up, so pay it and be done with it.

[7 Wishes]

Actually I would normally say plead not guilty because if it's not too much over and you have a clean record your "trial" is you usually just end up in a room with about 50-100 people who all got tickets as well and they "plea" it down to a non-moving violation so they get the money and you achieve not having points on your license/insurance increase. A common "plea down" is "parking on the highway" since that's what you had to do when the cop stopped you, LOL!

Depending on how busy they are, it can be up to 2 years before you get seen (though sometimes it is rather quick like a month or two). If you are lucky and its 2 years, the cop may have retired or left for a different police job and won't show and then the ticket gets thrown out. But while I won't say that never happens, it's relatively rare, don't count on that.

From the experience of friends I can tell you that they will likely even plea down 30 over the limit (especially if you have a prior clean record) to get you 'out of their hair', but they won't plea that down to a non-moving violation, it will be something like plead down to 10 or 15 over so you have less points on your license and less of an insurance hit.

Usually in these cases where you are there with dozens of other people the "court fee" is just a relatively minor increase to your ticket, like $100 or less added. Depending on your situation, that might be better than extra points on your license/insurance record. Good luck either way!

[mjmangre]

It's op here. Thank you for the detailed explanation. What is the likelihood that my insurance would take a hit, and what kind of hit? Will I get an insurance hit regardless, or only if I plead not guilty?

[mjmangre]

I am not concerned about points, since that goes away after a few years. I'm only concerned about insurance and price of the ticket I heard that you often can get a decrease as far as the price of the ticket. What is the likelihood that my ticket would be decreased if I went to court?

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by mjmangre

It's op here. Thank you for the detailed explanation. What is the likelihood that my insurance would take a hit, and what kind of hit? Will I get an insurance hit regardless, or only if I plead not guilty?

As you saw, I responded to your PM on it, so look there, it's kind of long and detailed (and no I'm not a lawyer I just know a lot about this!)

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by 7 Wishes

Actually I would normally say plead not guilty because if it's not too much over and you have a clean record your "trial" is you usually just end up in a room with about 50-100 people who all got tickets as well and they "plea" it down to a non-moving violation so they get the money and you achieve not having points on your license/insurance increase. A common "plea down" is "parking on the highway" since that's what you had to do when the cop stopped you, LOL!

Depending on how busy they are, it can be up to 2 years before you get seen (though sometimes it is rather quick like a month or two). If you are lucky and its 2 years, the cop may have retired or left for a different police job and won't show and then the ticket gets thrown out. But while I won't say that never happens, it's relatively rare, don't count on that.

From the experience of friends I can tell you that they will likely even plea down 30 over the limit (especially if you have a prior clean record) to get you 'out of their hair', but they won't plea that down to a non-moving violation, it will be something like plead down to 10 or 15 over so you have less points on your license and less of an insurance hit.

Usually in these cases where you are there with dozens of other people the "court fee" is just a relatively minor increase to your ticket, like $100 or less added. Depending on your situation, that might be better than extra points on your license/insurance record. Good luck either way!

I know you're trying to help, but you should understand how the CT court system works before responding. You don't go to court. You plead not guilty, are given a court date (which is far sooner than 2 years away) and you speak to a prosecutor in a small room. The prosecutor will often plead you out if your record is clean and the officer reports the operator was cooperative.

Shame on anyone for offering help to this OP. It's amazing how so many people complain about aggressive driving yet will be the first in line to assist when that person cries for help after they're ticketed. After all, the cops are the real bad guys, right?

You were going 30 over the limit. Youre lucky you weren't arrested for reckless driving and your vehicle towed. Show your accountability and pay the fine, then move on.

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

I know you're trying to help, but you should understand how the CT court system works before responding. You don't go to court. You plead not guilty, are given a court date (which is far sooner than 2 years away) and you speak to a prosecutor in a small room. The prosecutor will often plead you out if your record is clean and the officer reports the operator was cooperative.

Shame on anyone for offering help to this OP. It's amazing how so many people complain about aggressive driving yet will be the first in line to assist when that person cries for help after they're ticketed. After all, the cops are the real bad guys, right?

You were going 30 over the limit. Youre lucky you weren't arrested for reckless driving and your vehicle towed. Show your accountability and pay the fine, then move on.

Thats what i meant, it works that way in most states and municipalities, thats what i meant by 50-100 people at once.

And i did tell him at 30 over hes likely to still have a moving violation in the end.....

[bobdobalina]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

You were going 30 over the limit. Youre lucky you weren't arrested for reckless driving and your vehicle towed. Show your accountability and pay the fine, then move on.

There are plenty of places in these parts where traffic does 85 in a 55; doing the posted limit therein would be far more dangerous and disruptive. You little scold, you.