My frist speeding ticket in my life time (North Carolina)?

Question

I had my license for more than a year and I have a clean record.

After reading quite a bit online still I feel like I need to learn more about the mandatory court section.

1. I am not going to hire a lawyer. Do I have the rights to defend myself on a court without a lawyer?

2. It was 40 on a 25miles/hour ticket. How's the chance to reduce the ticket amount to less than 9 mph over?

3. I rented the car and I started the car just 2 minutes before I left the parking lot (the rental company should have a record on that), I did not intentionally speed nor continuously speed. The average speed by the numbers should be way below 25mph and I was still learning about the car. I might have just speeded for 2 seconds, it is just impossible to look at the speedo instead of the road all the time anyway. Is this a strong reason to defend myself?

4. How much will the ticket likely to cost me?

5. If the ticket cannot be reduced and for how long the 2 points will stay in my record?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hire a traffic ticket specialist. Defenses like "I was speeding but not by that much" or "It was only for a moment" is an instant guilty, full-fine judgement... you may not even get the opportunity to try your other defenses. The question is not the quantity of speeding, but whether or not you were in fact speeding (even 1 mph over). The traffic ticket specialist will know how to avoid saying the wrong thing, and what points to argue. I know friends who started at 4 points, and were reduced to 0 points with traffic ticket specialists. For a first offense, a specialist can get your points reduced signifcantly 9 times out of 10. The ticket fine is peanuts compared to the insurance imposed by the points. Depending on how old you are (1 year driving, you're 20 or under?) you might see an increase of up to $1,000 yearly, for the duration of the points (3 years) over just two points.

Answer 2

I'll take the two and go for ten.  This is just plain goofy.   Have you left NC yet.  You sound temoprary enough, what are you worried about?

You are probably cooked all around.  Pay up and pay more attention!

Answer 3

Traffic tickets are different, your guilty until proven innocent. You can see if there is a chance to go to traffic school in lieu of a fine and it won't go on your record.

Answer 4

1. Yes, you have the right to defend yourself without representation. It's still smart to have a lawyer present or check your case and offer advice.

2. Highly unlikely. You won't know without contacting the county/district proseceutor and the officer. This usually happens only on the day of court.

3. No. That won't fly even with the nicest of judges.

4. Not sure, it should be on the ticket, plus court costs.

5. It will be on record for at least 3 years, depending on state regulations. It may not even transfer is you have a MA license. I have an NH license and my violations in ME did not transfer over, or from Maryland to NH when I moved. Don't know about internationally, probably unlikely.

Answer 5

Just ask the judge for defensive driving and that will be the end of it.