Speeding ticket

So I got dinged this morning in the ST. Left onto Forest from 635 access road. Crossed 635 overpass, came down hill. Motorcycle cop waves me in at the bottom of the hill. 51 in a 40. Asked if I knew how fast I was going. Said no was just going with the flow around me. I was polite, and he actually asked me questions about the ST after writing the ticket. He turns to leave, and then turned back and said "Did you know the speed limit" I answered no. He then says " toyr a nice guy. If i were you, I'd contest it." Kinda struck me as odd

Driving tonight, there is no speed limit sign between where I turned and he pulled me over.

How hard is it to contest? Or am I better off just paying it and chalking it up to a ticket every 15 years.....

Contest it.

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Originally Posted by sxk122

How hard is it to contest? Or am I better off just paying it and chalking it up to a ticket every 15 years.....

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How much is your time worth and does your insurance company care about that one ticket? If they have a relatively inexpensive deferred adjudication option w/o showing up for court that'd be my first choice. I can't imagine traffic court down there is a fun way to spend the day.

Basically he was saying, I won't show up in court, so you'll win.

Time is the issue. Getting a free week day is difficult at best. Deffered adjudication is $220....

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Originally Posted by sxk122

Deffered adjudication is $220....

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How much is just the ticket?

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Originally Posted by sxk122

Time is the issue. Getting a free week day is difficult at best. Deffered adjudication is $220....

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That'd be my choice. I'd divide the cost up across all the times I know I deserved a ticket and didn't get one and call it cheap penance.

yeah. I do tend to speed from time to time.

the annoying thing was this really wasn't one of those times. I was going with everyone else down a hill. The bright blue car just won the prize........ lol

This seems like an easy "get out of jail" card. Why not contest it and save the hit for one you cannot contest?

If a cop is telling you to contest it, I would.

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Originally Posted by CosmosMpower

If a cop is telling you to contest it, I would.

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+100

Because I really don't have a day to waste. And, if I contest it and fail, then it does go on my record......

I have a bit of time to decide.

I'm half for paying it and being done, half for not paying it.......

You won't waste a day. They'll read the docket that morning and when they see the cop is a no show you will be dismissed. Or, you will plead not guilty and they will schedule a trial date for later where the cop won't show again. You probably won't miss more than two hours of work.

Even if the cop does show, you can choose to take a plea and do deferred adjudication at that time. Question: why not do Defensive driving?

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Originally Posted by Sharpie

Basically he was saying, I won't show up in court, so you'll win.

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But he still wrote the ticket so he could be a pain in the ass. Classy.

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Originally Posted by trickyrix

But he still wrote the ticket so he could make his quota. Classy.

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fixed

Rick, I can't fault him for writing the ticket-- that was his job-- to meet a quota. I just wish he had of just written a warning, because that would have made my life easier. On top of working 60-70 hour weeks, I don't really need an added task of going downtown and dicking with this. To be done in 3 clicks, Deferred Disposition is $226......

Also, because I've never done this before....

There is a mail in option for the plea, is there a reason not to enter my plea of not guilty by mail?

"To enter a plea of NOT GUILTY you may either appear in the Proof of Plea (Court #13) at 2014 Main Street or you may enter a plea of NOT GUILTY by mail. To enter a plea of NOT GUILTY by mail, you must submit evidence of your current place of residence (drivers license) along with your request. All defendants entering a plea of NOT GUILTY will receive a plea bargain offer from the City Attorney""

Or am I better off in Person?


And, if I enter by mail or in person, do I include the info about the ticket, or is that taken care of during the pre trial hearing. i.e. Left onto Forest from 635 access road. Crossed 635 overpass, came down hill. Motorcycle officer waves me in at the bottom of the hill. Asked if I knew how fast I was going. Said no was just going with the flow around me. Issued me a Ticket for 51 in a 40. There is no speed limit sign between where I turned and where the officer pulled me over. ??


http://www.dallascityhall.com/courts..._hearings.html





Thanks MME Legal team...... lol

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Originally Posted by OZMDD

Question: why not do Defensive driving?

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Time/ Money.

Total cost with Drivers safety course is $145. So I'd save 80 bucks over deferred disposition, but then I have to take the class and that's a couple hours in front of a computer/ in a class ......

although, I could probably convince my wife to do it for me...... lol

^You'll get an insurance discount if you take the class, or at least you used to. Might check that out.

I'm sure you've already considered this but the last time I did deferred disposition I couldn't get another ticket in that town for something like a one year period. If I did then both tickets would be reported for insurance purposes. I went ahead and did it because it was a town I only went through about once a month, but when I was there I made sure I was under the posted speeds.

I've used Winocour Lawfirm in the past. Great communication and realistic expectations explained.

If time is an issue, they can handle all the leg work for you.