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I received a traffic ticket on the LIE in western Suffolk. In almost 30 years of driving, this is the 2nd time I've been stopped! I'm a bit unsure of how to proceed, and was hoping someone could share their experience...
In speaking with friends and researching online, I understand that this ticket is handled through NY DMV Traffic Violation Bureau, not "regular" traffic court. I've been told there's no plea bargaining at TVB, it's guilty or not.
I've heard in the past that you should never respond guilty on a traffic ticket...always worth it to plead not guilty to a lesser infraction, in hopes of saving money and reducing points on license. I'm not sure how to proceed.
Has anyone had any experience with this TVB agency? Is this a new department? Were you able to plea down a charge? Would appreciate any advice on how to navigate my way through this!
You heard correctly, there is no plea bargaining in the tvb court. You either plead guilty or not guilty. If you plead not guilty, you will receive a traffic court date. If the officer shows up you are pretty much guilty no matter what you may try to tell the judge.
From what I've heard it's like TVB in NYC, in which case you're pretty much screwed unless the cop doesn't show up or he loses his paperwork.
I went to TVB in Queens around 4 years ago, and sat through 2 cops before the guy who pulled me over. There was one woman who got off and that was because the cop lost his paperwork on that one ticket..he had like 10 cases.
Every single other person was convicted, and the judge had the same response to every story that was voiced, whether it seemed reasonable or complete BS....(some of the stuff I heard was hilarious).
"In order to believe your story, I'd have to believe that the police officer gave you a ticket for no reason, guilty."
These are administrative judges...they're basically people hired to rubber stamp tickets.
I've never been to TVB in Suffolk, so I'm only going by what I've heard from others. If what I've heard is true, it's pretty much a waste of time off work on the slim hope the cop doesn't show.
I can confirm from multiple visits to the Suffolk TVB...there is no plea bargaining in Suffolk.
In Nassau, you can chew down the prosecutor to get a non-moving violation as long as they get their money....but in Suffolk, no go. Guilty or non-guilty. The only way you can get out of it is to hope the cop is a no-show, and even that they give the cop a second chance to show if he misses the first court date.
Mine was in Queens TVB (damn the Clearview dragstrip @ 50mph limit) and my traffic attorney (because I wanted to get it lowered from 6 pts and a 3-year fee) got it reduced but only after postponing it 3 times over the course of a year. I'm not even sure if the cop showed up at that point. In the end I saved about $300 and 2 pts. You may want to at least talk to a traffic attorney to see what they do for Suffolk. I used Jan Goldman --> http://www.jangoldman.com/
I received a traffic ticket on the LIE in western Suffolk. In almost 30 years of driving, this is the 2nd time I've been stopped! I'm a bit unsure of how to proceed, and was hoping someone could share their experience...
In speaking with friends and researching online, I understand that this ticket is handled through NY DMV Traffic Violation Bureau, not "regular" traffic court. I've been told there's no plea bargaining at TVB, it's guilty or not.
I've heard in the past that you should never respond guilty on a traffic ticket...always worth it to plead not guilty to a lesser infraction, in hopes of saving money and reducing points on license. I'm not sure how to proceed.
Has anyone had any experience with this TVB agency? Is this a new department? Were you able to plea down a charge? Would appreciate any advice on how to navigate my way through this!
Thanks very much...
Pretty much its your guilty at the TVB. I'd pay the fine and then after the conviction goes through, take the defensive driving course to knock down the points. But this will only work after the ticket has been processed, not just written.
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