Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
#32
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Carson City, NV
Posts: 789
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
Sometimes the court is willing to reduce the violation to a lesser one (ideally a non-moving violation) that doesn't incur points and an insurance hike. You'll still end up paying a fine, but the insurance hike is usually the biggie.
A local lawyer specialising in traffic offenses should be able to advise you if that's a possibility in the area you got caught.
Out here, both myself and a couple of colleagues received traffic tickets at different points in time, we all went to court (using the same specialist lawyer IIRC) and we all ended up with reduced charges and reduced fines. Oh, and in the case of the two crash test dummies (that'll be one of the aforementioned colleagues and myself), no points. The other colleague actually got the charge thrown out. In all three cases it was money well spent.
A local lawyer specialising in traffic offenses should be able to advise you if that's a possibility in the area you got caught.
Out here, both myself and a couple of colleagues received traffic tickets at different points in time, we all went to court (using the same specialist lawyer IIRC) and we all ended up with reduced charges and reduced fines. Oh, and in the case of the two crash test dummies (that'll be one of the aforementioned colleagues and myself), no points. The other colleague actually got the charge thrown out. In all three cases it was money well spent.
#33
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Maryland (via Belfast, Manchester, Toronto and London)
Posts: 4,802
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
Yes, you must disclose any citations (including traffic citations e.g. speeding tickets) on the N-400 form.
http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/f...form/n-400.pdf
I was told to answer "Yes" to question D.16.
"Have you ever been arrested, cited, or detained by any law enforcement officer (including UCSIS or former INS and military officers) for any reason?"
http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/f...form/n-400.pdf
I was told to answer "Yes" to question D.16.
"Have you ever been arrested, cited, or detained by any law enforcement officer (including UCSIS or former INS and military officers) for any reason?"
#34
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
Well, N-400 is the citizenship application.
Going off on a tangent, N-400 is also the only form that explicitly makes it clear that the question "List all of your children", which appears on many immigration forms starting with the petition, that the word "all" really does mean all.
Regards, JEff
Going off on a tangent, N-400 is also the only form that explicitly makes it clear that the question "List all of your children", which appears on many immigration forms starting with the petition, that the word "all" really does mean all.
Regards, JEff
Last edited by jeffreyhy; Dec 6th 2013 at 3:43 pm.
#36
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
What you wrote was
I guess I stupidly misunderstood that because a traffic ticket is a citation and the traffic police are an enforcement agency.
Regards, JEff
Believe it is that you are asked about being "cited" by any enforcement agency.
Regards, JEff
#37
Banned
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
Hold on, you're honestly saying that I now have to find out the date of my speeding tickets from decades ago for any future N-400? Honestly, how do they possibly expect people to know this?
#38
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Maryland (via Belfast, Manchester, Toronto and London)
Posts: 4,802
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
By the way, I also asked why traffic violations are not required to be reported on I-485 (permanent residence) but are required for N-400 (citizenship). The answer was that you can still be denied entry into the US or deported when you're a PR. However, they can't do anything to you once you are a citizen unless they find out later that you lied during the citizenship application process. That's why it's very important to be as honest as you can on the N-400. If they want a history of traffic violations, do your best to provide it.
Last edited by MarylandNed; Dec 6th 2013 at 6:17 pm.
#39
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
Do your best, and now that you know start keeping a record in your 'Get Ready For N-400' file. Unless you've been a really bad boy, and maybe even then, traffic violations won't harm your application for citizenship.
Also, I suspect that your insurance company might be able to help refresh your memory.
Regards, JEff
Also, I suspect that your insurance company might be able to help refresh your memory.
Regards, JEff
#40
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
It's often the case that the penalty for making a misrepresentation is much more severe than the penalty for that which was misrepresented.
Regards, JEff
Regards, JEff
... However, they can't do anything to you once you are a citizen unless they find out later that you lied during the citizenship application process. That's why it's very important to be as honest as you can on the N-400. If they want a history of traffic violations, do your best to provide it.
#41
Banned
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
Do your best, and now that you know start keeping a record in your 'Get Ready For N-400' file. Unless you've been a really bad boy, and maybe even then, traffic violations won't harm your application for citizenship.
Also, I suspect that your insurance company might be able to help refresh your memory.
Also, I suspect that your insurance company might be able to help refresh your memory.
#42
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
Have you read the N-400 instructions?
I can tell you what my wife did with regard to traffic tickets on her N-400. She checked 'Yes' for questions 10.D.16 & 17, and entered the information about her one speeding ticket in the table following question #21. For "Outcome or disposition" she wrote "fine, <$500". She provided no supporting documentation.
As an aside, what do you think about 10.B.8, "Have you ever been a member of or associated with any organization, association, fund foundation, party, club, society or similar group in the United States or in any other place?" That's an all-encompassing question if there ever was one! My wife checked 'Yes' and entered "YMCA of Ourtown, Ourstate, USA"
And in 9.B she listed all of her children, including those who are older than she is.
Regards, JEff
I can tell you what my wife did with regard to traffic tickets on her N-400. She checked 'Yes' for questions 10.D.16 & 17, and entered the information about her one speeding ticket in the table following question #21. For "Outcome or disposition" she wrote "fine, <$500". She provided no supporting documentation.
And in 9.B she listed all of her children, including those who are older than she is.
Regards, JEff
#43
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Maryland (via Belfast, Manchester, Toronto and London)
Posts: 4,802
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
I wouldn't worry about this as long as you are honest, are able to provide whatever documentation you have and you don't have an excessive number of violations to report. I think my wife had 4 to report (1 in Canada and 3 in the US) and I had 2 (1 in the UK and 1 in the US). My wife had no documentation for the Canadian one and I had none for the UK one.
#44
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 417
Re: Anybody ever contested a speeding ticket?
Jeepers. I have had two stop junction violations and one speeding ticket in 9 years in the USA. I have no idea of the precise dates, although maybe my bank account will tell me when i paid the fine? I went to traffic school twice, online, and there have been no increases in insurance. I also got a non-moving violation for cell phone use.
I had no idea the N-400 wanted violations. Have to try to dig out the information.
I had no idea the N-400 wanted violations. Have to try to dig out the information.