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Sooo, I live in Queens and I was coming from LI on the Grand Central. I was in a hurry and was caught doing 82 in a 50 by a radar cop. He slapped me with a ticket and obviously, 32 mph over the speed limit is a big deal.
I'm not going to rant and rave and say that I didn't do it. I did it. It's my fault. BUT, I want to know how best to go about it. Maybe find a way to have my charge lessened given they want 8 points and most likely a fine over 200 dollars. The ticket states anything over 31 mph I must appear in person. Given that, I need to figure out in the next 15 days.
I looked online and it seemed most people suggested getting a lawyer to represent me given how serious the penalty could be. I contacted a guy in Forest Hills who says he would want 475 no matter how long it takes. He states what he would do is try to put the court date as far in the future as possible and if the officer doesn't show, then try to get it dismissed. If he shows, try to get it adjourned to a future date and keep doing that in hopes he doesn't show and gets it dismissed. If it finally goes to trial he would try to discredit the information the officer provided or if that isnt possible try to get the determination down to a 6 point since its only a couple mph over.
He also stated in NYC there is no such thing as a plea down to a lesser charge. Only a 100 percent guilty or 100 percent not guilty. I don't know if that is true. I called my Dad and he insisted 1. The guy will probably find ways to up that fee over the course of the trials. 2. The things he wants to do is not going to work and it will only infuriate a judge which will cause them to knock me for the full fee and points. 3. He also disputes the plea portion of it.
So right now I'm at a loss of what I should do. Should I go to the office and see what can be done in front of a judge? Should I contact another lawyer who might do something better then this? Are these tactics the right way to go? I'm so confused!
i just went through this with a ticket i got on the cross island.
there is little you can do. there is no judge, there is no plea bargaining in nyc.
they have administrative people that listen to your case and can only give a guilty or not guilty verdict. it is not even a court. they removed most moving violations from being criminal and the dmv hears your case in their office instead of a court. no one has the latitude to cut any slack like a judge would..
30 years of a clean record meant nothing. i had to pay the ticket and got the full 6 points.
Oh boy. I heard that is the case. The ticket lawyers state they can try to help you but I don't know how much they really can do given there is no plea down. Basically try to keep holding out until someone doesn't show then get it dismissed. I dont want to spend 500 dollars on a lawyer then have to pay 500-600 for the ticket.
That's what pisses me off. I wasn't that far from the Long Island line. That happens and I could have plead down easily on my own. Given what I'm looking at, they want to find a way to keep delaying in hopes the officer won't show to each one and if they are forced to bring to trial, then they will try to either find a technicality or try and get something a tad lower.
So basically it's not an immediate thing? What do they do when you get there? Just go over it and say you are guilty?
Honestly just eat it and pay the fine. The only way you'll beat it is if the cop doesn't show up; I've had it happen to me once where the cop didnt show up and the judge dismissed it. Otherwise the cop comes with a big detailed report the likes of which you've never experienced and you're left stammering in fromt of the judge. Nassau County lets you cop a plea but not the city. I caught a speeding ticket in Nassau once and I copped down to failure to yield.
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the cops show most of the time. the traffic cops are assigned certain days to be in court , that is why it can take so long for your case to come up. they are there on those days any way.
every morning there is a speed trap going east on the grand central just after the cross island and before the city line where another nnassau county trap lays in wait just before lakeville.
obvious it a uphill battle no matter which way you go. do you want to spend money on a lawyer which is not guarantee or plead guilty...pay the fine.
A= guilty.
8 points pay loads of money
no more tickets for 18 months for risk of suspension
Take safety point reduction classes to lessen the impact of insurance dramatic increase & potential license suspension
B. Hire lawyer
Pay a lawyer but its not a guarantee
Still take safety point reduction classes
I have friends who has gotten off with lawyers but its a real crapshoot. I have agencies that my friend told me if you want to try it
Correction: The point reduction classes have no bearing on the amount of points the insurance company see's. The reduction is only seen internally by the dmv and gives you a bigger cushion before a mandatory suspension.
Everyone else sees the origonal amount of points you have.
They mention that fact on the dmv website.
you still may get the discount though for taking it the same as everyone else .
from dmv faq.
"The PIRP sponsor will notify the DMV within ten weeks after you complete the course. A notice will then be entered on your driving record, and the DMV computer will automatically reduce your active point total by up to four points. Important: Completion of a course under the "Point & Insurance Reduction Program" does not remove, delete, subtract, or erase any violation, conviction, or notice of original number of points from your driving record. Even after you complete the course, most violations, conviction and points assessed will continue to show on your driving record for up to four years. Violations and convictions involving drugs or alcohol will remain on your driving record for ten years. "Point reduction" means the DMV will not count up to four points on your driving record toward license revocation or suspension."
Correction: The point reduction classes have no bearing on the amount of points the insurance company see's. The reduction is only seen internally by the dmv and gives you a bigger cushion before a mandatory suspension.
the above is correct. Be aware that most insurance do give discount on your insurance for taking this class. But if you already have the discount, you won't get a "double" discount for taking again for the "DMV point reduction" class. So if you never taken these classes, its possible to reduce DMV points as well as get insurance discount. I hope I make sense.
FYI, its a crapshoot if the insurance will find out. Don't quote me on this....i think the insurance need to run a search on you to find out if you have points. I do know sometimes I get in the mail to answer a questionaire from my insurance co. if I got tickets & such.
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