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Old 04-29-2012, 10:45 AM
 
2 posts, read 29,903 times
Reputation: 12

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There are countless threads on VA reckless driving. However, most give advice on what may happen and often cite the maximum $2500 fine and jail time. The less available threads that describe the actual outcome never seem to result in fines approaching that level and seem to rarely involve jail time. With that said, in the interest of helping me and others choose the appropriate action, I was hoping that people with actual experience with a RD charge in VA (start to finish) could briefly state the line of defense they chose and the outcome. (VA traffic lawyers, please do not reply, your opinions are well represented on this forum).

Speed limit/speed you were travelling:

County of charge:

Home state:

Plea (guilty or not-guilty):

Prior driving record:

Did you hire a lawyer?:

If you hired a lawyer, how much did you pay?:

If you did not hire a lawyer, did you appear in court?:

If you did not hire a lawyer or appear in court, did you write a letter to the judge instead?:

What was the outcome (both in fines and convictions or dismissal):

Other considerations worth sharing:


Thank you ever so much in advance for your response. I'm hoping to collect empirical evidence, not opinions.

Todd
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Old 04-29-2012, 11:46 AM
 
Location: Virginia-Shenandoah Valley
7,670 posts, read 14,239,065 times
Reputation: 7464
I don't have an RD conviction to help you with but speaking as a retired 30 year VA police officer I can say with certainty very few people ever come close to the maximum fine allowed for RD and even less go to jail. From my experience the vast majority (75-90%) see their charge reduced. Usually to Improper Driving.
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Old 04-29-2012, 01:11 PM
 
Location: Richmond
419 posts, read 902,252 times
Reputation: 342
Speed limit/speed you were traveling: 60/86

County of charge: Nelson

Home state: Virginia

Plea (guilty or not-guilty): Not/no contest/please let me have a lesser charge

Prior driving record: Clean for 20 years

Did you hire a lawyer?: No

If you hired a lawyer, how much did you pay?: N/A

If you did not hire a lawyer, did you appear in court?: yes

If you did not hire a lawyer or appear in court, did you write a letter to the judge instead?: No

What was the outcome (both in fines and convictions or dismissal): Convicted of Reckless Driving and total of 350 in fines costs etc. (loss of one day work = 1000)

Other considerations worth sharing: Judge said if i had been going four more miles an hour i would have been spending the weekend in the nelson county jail and hotel
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Old 05-02-2012, 02:10 PM
 
2 posts, read 29,903 times
Reputation: 12
Thank you Bigfoot424, and gregir for your replies. Hopefully this thread can amass a larger case study than 1. You've both been very helpful.

Todd
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Old 05-31-2012, 12:06 PM
 
4 posts, read 22,472 times
Reputation: 12
Speed limit/speed you were travelling: 78/55

County of charge: VA Beach

Home state: MD

Plea (guilty or not-guilty): No Contest

Prior driving record: Clean for 9 years

Did you hire a lawyer?: No

If you hired a lawyer, how much did you pay?: NA

If you did not hire a lawyer, did you appear in court?: Yes

If you did not hire a lawyer or appear in court, did you write a letter to the judge instead?: No

What was the outcome (both in fines and convictions or dismissal): Reduced the wreckless to 74/55. Judge waived my fees since I made the trip down from MD....(40 dollars in gas is a lot better than $100-$300 in fines). Had to pay $66 in court fees. I was the luckiest one there for sure.

Other considerations worth sharing:
Dress nice, be honest, and use manners. It goes a long way in the court room. Told the judge I was not aware of my speed, and my clean record (bring a copy from your DMV) was proof of a lapse in common sense.
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Old 06-20-2012, 08:20 AM
 
Location: NYC
67 posts, read 308,272 times
Reputation: 40
Speed limit/speed you were travelling: 79/55

County of charge: Richmond

Home state: NY

Plea (guilty or not-guilty): I didn't show up to court

Prior driving record: Clean

Did you hire a lawyer?: No

If you hired a lawyer, how much did you pay?:

If you did not hire a lawyer, did you appear in court?: No

If you did not hire a lawyer or appear in court, did you write a letter to the judge instead?: Yes

What was the outcome (both in fines and convictions or dismissal): $120 ish

Other considerations worth sharing:
I took the advice of some VA trooper online and mailed a letter to the judge with a copy of my clean driving record. It must have been tossed in the garbage because I was convicted of reckless driving anyway. In retrospect I should have hired a lawyer to try to get it reduced as I now have a criminal conviction for BS. The conviction has never been a problem (got hired as a cop myself a few years later).
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Old 06-20-2012, 12:38 PM
 
306 posts, read 689,706 times
Reputation: 113
Speed limit/speed you were travelling: 83 in a 55

County of charge: Chesterfield

Home state: VA

Plea (guilty or not-guilty): Guilty

Prior driving record: At the time, first ever ticket.

Did you hire a lawyer?: No

If you hired a lawyer, how much did you pay?: N/A

If you did not hire a lawyer, did you appear in court?: Yes

If you did not hire a lawyer or appear in court, did you write a letter to the judge instead?: Nope

What was the outcome (both in fines and convictions or dismissal): Asked for driving school and it was granted. I took the class and got it reduced to speeding for 19 over. (74 in 55)

Other considerations worth sharing:
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Old 07-19-2015, 08:34 AM
 
14 posts, read 20,522 times
Reputation: 10
Just go on the court's website and search for all reckless driving cases. You'll see the outcome and the lawyer's name right there if the defendants have a lawyer go with them.
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Old 07-22-2015, 07:43 AM
 
Location: Short Pump
45 posts, read 102,004 times
Reputation: 42
Speed limit/speed you were travelling:65/84

County of charge:Hanover

Home state:Va

Plea (guilty or not-guilty):

Prior driving record:Clean for few yrs

Did you hire a lawyer?:Yes

If you hired a lawyer, how much did you pay?: 250

If you did not hire a lawyer, did you appear in court?:

If you did not hire a lawyer or appear in court, did you write a letter to the judge instead?:

What was the outcome (both in fines and convictions or dismissal): dismissed with online traffic school

Other considerations worth sharing: Hire a lawyer
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Old 12-07-2015, 08:14 PM
 
1 posts, read 5,143 times
Reputation: 10
Hi i just got pulled over when i went to virginia have RD 73/45 i'm considering hiring a lawyer but idk how much it will cause me and i live out of state any advices would really help thanks in advance
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