What are available options for speeding tickets in Massachusetts.?

Question

I want to fight a speeding ticket that was 65 in 55, but If I can't beat it what options do I have to keep points of my insurance. Does anyone know if it's possible to do a plea bargain with an officer in MA?

Answer 1

Your question is reproduced below to preserve the original fact pattern to which this answer applies:

"What are available options for speeding tickets in Massachusetts? I want to fight a speeding ticket that was 65 in 55, but If I can't beat it what options do I have to keep points of my insurance. Does anyone know if it's possible to do a plea bargain with an officer in MA?"

The quick answer to your question is "You can either admit responsibility and pay the ticket or you can contest it in court.  And your insurance won't automatically increase if your at a low enough step already."

There is no "plea bargain" for speeding tickets in Massachusetts because traffic violations are theoretically civil infractions-- not criminal.  And I'm not sure what lesser offense you would plead guilty to anyway.  The first ten miles over the limit is the same fine and the same step penalty.  And if you were going 55 then you weren't speeding at all....

You can arrange to contest the ticket in court and hope that the officer doesn't show up (when the matter will be either dropped or dismissed if you don't agree to a rehearing date).  But if he does show, you'll have to be able to convince a judge or magistrate that you weren't speeding even when the officer claims you were.  For a "65 in a 55" that's a tough case.  Hardly anyone drives 55 mph in a 55 mph zone in Massachusetts....  And the judges know it.  In fact, officers that get you on radar at 70 mph will write it up as 65 mph just to save themselves the hassle of having to go into court for someone who tries to knock it down to 65 or below....  That's about as close as you'll get to a plea bargain.

[This is not legal advice. You should consult a licensed attorney-at-law for legal advice or representation before making decisions that may affect your legal rights.]