Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
Dec 4th 2013 | 4:42 am
#16
Banned
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
By the way, I was also on H1B. Contesting in court did not affect my ability to obtain a green card and finally citizenship. Standard moving violations such as speeding are not problematic as long as (a) you don't have an excessive number and (b) you are completely honest about disclosing them.
Dec 4th 2013 | 5:35 am
#17
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 10,058
From: Milwaukie, Oregon
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
Our police department has a photo radar equipped speed detection van which can cover all four lanes (2 lanes each way) simultaneously of our two major highways. Radar equipment has moved on since that ACPO report was written in 2004.
Dec 4th 2013 | 5:41 am
#18
Banned
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
Dec 4th 2013 | 6:24 am
#20
Banned
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
Dec 4th 2013 | 3:20 pm
#25
Joined on April fools day
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 10,644
From: 30 miles from a decent grocery store.
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
I did in writing once. I sent in my check for the fine and received half back a few weeks later, small victory.
Dec 4th 2013 | 3:31 pm
#26
Bloody Yank
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,186
From: USA! USA!
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
In traffic court, regardless of what the Constitution says, you're effectively guilty unless proven innocent. (And you probably won't be.)
Approaches to fighting ticket vary by state. In some states, tickets are civil matters; in others, they are criminal. In some states, you will have to deal with a prosecutor and you should probably have a lawyer; in others, you probably won't be represented by an attorney.
If that's the substance of your argument, then you'll probably lose.
It's very difficult to win a case on facts, particularly if you don't have a lawyer. If you go to court, then your best hope is that the cop doesn't appear, or that you have legal grounds for getting the ticket dismissed. If you have a traffic school option, then it is worth considering.
Approaches to fighting ticket vary by state. In some states, tickets are civil matters; in others, they are criminal. In some states, you will have to deal with a prosecutor and you should probably have a lawyer; in others, you probably won't be represented by an attorney.
It's very difficult to win a case on facts, particularly if you don't have a lawyer. If you go to court, then your best hope is that the cop doesn't appear, or that you have legal grounds for getting the ticket dismissed. If you have a traffic school option, then it is worth considering.
Dec 4th 2013 | 4:21 pm
#27
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 10,678
From: San Francisco Bay Area
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
So if he can take off 2-4 days, it is likely that the charges will be dropped.
However in my opinion, it is easier to spend 4 hours in traffic school to clear your record. In California, normally you don't have to attend traffic court to request traffic school but just go to the traffic court window at the courthouse.
Dec 5th 2013 | 4:21 am
#28
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 15,914
From: Reno Nevada
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
There is one problem with that. First you have to take off a morning or afternoon to show up in traffic court to request a hearing with a judge. Then you'll be notified of the court date and when you show up, the officer who wrote the ticket will likely not be there but the DA can request a postponement and a new hearing date would be set. In California the DA has 60 days to bring to trial or the charges are dropped. Some localities request 2 or 3 hearing dates to try to dissuade people from requesting a hearing (you could call it harassment).
So if he can take off 2-4 days, it is likely that the charges will be dropped.
However in my opinion, it is easier to spend 4 hours in traffic school to clear your record. In California, normally you don't have to attend traffic court to request traffic school but just go to the traffic court window at the courthouse.
So if he can take off 2-4 days, it is likely that the charges will be dropped.
However in my opinion, it is easier to spend 4 hours in traffic school to clear your record. In California, normally you don't have to attend traffic court to request traffic school but just go to the traffic court window at the courthouse.
You can request a hearing by mail
Dec 5th 2013 | 10:31 am
#29
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,834
From: Maryland (via Belfast, Manchester, Toronto and London)
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
By the way, I was also on H1B. Contesting in court did not affect my ability to obtain a green card and finally citizenship. Standard moving violations such as speeding are not problematic as long as (a) you don't have an excessive number and (b) you are completely honest about disclosing them. Contesting in court is not going to affect you in matters of immigration.
Dec 5th 2013 | 10:57 am
#30
Banned
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
I know but the question wasn't about GETTING a speeding ticket - it was about CONTESTING one in a courtroom setting. You're right in that speeding tickets don't affect a permanent residence application. However, they do have to be disclosed on a citizenship application.
