Appearing in court for a speeding ticket.....

Bones · Oct 27, 2008

...anyone ever done it and if they "let me off" do you still have to pay court costs? Just curious. Never done it, just paid. This one is only 10 over and won't even go on my record. $77, but $50 of it is court costs. If I still have to pay that, then fugg it, I'll pay the stupid thing.

Do you have to plead ignorance? I know I was in the wrong, he let me off lightly (was 25 over in a 25 speed zone, might have even been a school zone :dunno:

, tail and plate light out) Damn KTM

Court date is a Wednesday @ 8:30. Is it also true if said copper does not show up it's void?

xjkrawler · Oct 27, 2008

dont know how it is in iowa...but here in the bama i was accused of "attempting" elude from a state trooper(long story), along with speeding and insurance out of date. i decided to try to get out of the elude so i showed up to court along with 50 other people. when my name was called i went up in front of the judge he asked me how i wanted to plead. i said guilty to the speeding and showed the new insurance card so i got out of that one. i said not guilty to the eluding one. so i followed up with talking to a district attorney. he is the one that made the actual decision. we agreed that he would drop the elude and keep the speeding one but i wasnt allowed to go to driving school to dismiss it. so i payed for a speeding ticket and that was all...

for bama i always thought that you could pay anytime before your court date to avoid the court "junk".

pretty much court is just a waste of time...kinda entertaining watching and hearing everyone's stories.

forgot to add if i was found guilty of the eluding and wanted to "fight" it then i would have to schedule another appearance with just me the trooper and the judge. if the trooper doesnt show then i am a free man

s10me · Oct 27, 2008

you don't have to pay court cost if found not guilty. i not sure how but since he reduce speed you can get out of the ticket because he was suppose to be able to prove how fast you were going and not estimating. but if its a local cop you might not want to piss him off.

Bones · Oct 27, 2008

Oh I can pay it today and be done with it. I have never tried to get out of one and figured what is my loss other than some time off work and just say that "I won" laughing1

cadpwrdyj · Oct 27, 2008

I went for one in Sumiton of all places for going 6 miles over the speed limit, right where it changes from one speed limit to the other, I went to court going to fight it and they let me off with going to driving school. I did have to pay court costs, and for the driving school, but at least it didn't go on my record. That's my only experience.

bigsilly · Oct 27, 2008

If he does not show it is dismissed. More than likely he will be there though. My wife got one a few years ago and she fought it because she was in a pack of cars on a city street and got pulled over. The judge was not convinced she was the one speeding so he dismissed it. Other than that I have no experience with that. Their going to ask when he calibrated his radar last, etc... It is worth a shot though.

Bones · Oct 27, 2008

bigsilly said:
If he does not show it is dismissed.\

Do I pay court cots still?

FYI this is a smaller 'burb of Cedar Rapids. Entire city is maybe 150K, Marion (where I got nailed) can't be more than 20K people.

muchado · Oct 27, 2008

u need an appt with prosecuting attorney... I have one tomarrow.. $250 to get the right on red off my record. ****.

bigsilly · Oct 27, 2008

Bones said:
Do I pay court cots still?

No court costs, you only have to pay those if you are found guilty.

InDaShop · Oct 27, 2008

bigsilly said:
No court costs, you only have to pay those if you are found guilty.

Whoa there Speed Racer. And if you plead "No Contest"

Bones in all 50 states plus US territories of the union and all jurisdictions within all of that you do not pay court cost if found "NOT GUILTY". Its kinda a big law.

If you have the time its always worth the shot to show up at the court date and plead not guilty. Worst case you still pay the ticket. If the cop no shows, dismissed and a "Not Guilty", judge may find in your favor "Not Guilty".

The phrase if theres lead in the air, theres a chance.... Well if you show up there is at least a chance to get out of paying, and having anything on a record.

Now you say its $77, and wont go on your record. Well whats your time worth? Odds are you'll still probably be there all day.

I had a 7am court date, and it was a mandatory I had to be there. I took off work, and told them I'd be in my lunch, etc... I finally went in front of the judge the next day at 3pm. The next time I got a must show type ticket, in Houston they gave me night court, cop no showed, I got my stack dropped, and I was at the bars by 9:30pm. WHOOT! So showing can work for you and against you, roll the dice.

Personally I'd pay though, its just taxation, get over it. When they start going on your record it gets personal, I'll always fight those.