how to fight a speeding ticket in pa how to fight a speeding ticket in pa

We know how to fight a speeding ticket with efficacy and diligence. When you contest a ticket, you must enter a plea. Experienced Legal Advice When The Future Is At Stake. Do not sell or share my personal information. You do have a right to an attorney but, as previously discussed, this is probably not necessary when fighting a speeding ticket. If you choose this option, be sure to return the plea and payment by the time stated on the ticket to prevent a bench warrant from being issued for your arrest. You can fight your traffic ticket by scheduling a court hearing. Say as little as possible. If you choose to fight the ticket, you must notify the court of this decision. There are other possible ways your speeding ticket can shake out. If you plan to fight the ticket, youll have to go to court, where a prosecutor will have to prove you were speeding. How to fight a speeding ticket in Pennsylvania To get a violation dismissed and avoid the negative repercussions, drivers can fight the ticket by taking their case to court. A traffic lawyer costs between $250 and $350 on average nationally, according to Thumbtack, an online marketplace for service professionals. On one side of a sheet of paper, note what was said. Pay attention to your shirt color, any small dents or cracks in your car, and any noticeable physical characteristics of the officer. You could receive a deferral, in which case typically youll pay a fine and your ticket will be dismissed after a period of time if there are no further offenses. You usually have to post bail in the amount of the fine, so check with the court to make sure you have the proper amount and proper payment method. Then, those points drop off: 3 points for each 12 months you have a clean driving record. It rarely pays to argue your case then. ; some companies will raise your rates more than others. Even if you think the ticket is unjustified, speeding violations are hard to beat. After a ticket, your car insurance rates can rise by hundreds of dollars per year. A typical plea agreement would be to reduce a 5 speeding ticket to 4 points; from 4 points down to 2 points, and so on. Wed appreciate if youd take a few minutes to explain where we went wrong. If you win your case, the traffic ticket fines will be returned to you. No bawling is necessary. By mail Fill out the Hearing Request Form attached to your Notice of Violation and mail to: Red Light Camera Program P.O. Although all this may seem like a lot of hassle for a $50 ticket, getting a PA speeding ticket dismissed can save you hundreds over time from increased insurance rates and accumulated driving points. e.preventDefault(); The far greater consideration is that your insurance costs will rise. Show up at court for the hearing date printed on your speeding ticket. You have 10 days to respond to the citation. You can verify the status of your driving record at the DMV. Provide us with some details on why you believe the citation issued is a mistake. For instance, certain courts may allow initiating . Answering that you were speeding can be taken as an admission of guilt and sabotage your chances of successfully fighting the ticket. In some cases, you may be able to look up your traffic ticket online. How to Fight a Speeding Ticket in PA When you receive a speeding ticket or traffic citation, you always have the option to pay the fine and accept the points. Luckily, disputing speeding tickets in Pennsylvania is simple with DoNotPay. 13. Look out for your traffic ticket issuer's response to discover whether you won! traffic school or defensive driving course. You can call in witnesses, including any passengers in the car when the ticket was issued. If the officer asks to search the vehicle, you have the right to refuse. In most cases, pa tickets points reduction will end up with you getting between 2 to 5 points. Looking for a lawyer to handle your traffic speeding ticket? Other ways an officer can clock your speed are using a timing device such as a stopwatch or VASCAR, or following behind you clocking your speed using their speedometer. This will give you more time to build your case. All Rights Reserved. You need to address the ticket and start fighting it right away. This will give you more time to build your case. All financial products, shopping products and services are presented without warranty. The steps to fighting your Pennsylvania traffic ticket can differ from court to court, though generally, the process consists of the following: Consider hiring a traffic ticket lawyer PRIOR to your court appearance(s). Lacie Glover is an insurance editor and writer and a NerdWallet authority on insurance. However, try not to wait more than 30 seconds to find a safe spot. If you were speeding due to an emergency, consider pleading "Guilty with explanation," which may prevent your insurance premiums from going up. As a writer, her work was featured in The Associated Press, The Motley Fool and U.S. News & World Report. Hawaii The details you wrote down earlier in terms of the incident you were pulled over will come in handy here. Show Up To Court. Lacie Glover spent more than five years covering health care costs and all types of insurance as a NerdWallet writer before becoming an assistant assigning editor in 2019 and later an assigning editor on the insurance team. Evidence could include dashcam video or GPS data from a smartphone app, or photographic evidence that a speed limit sign was obscured. The defendant is you, as you're the person fighting charges. Radar: ONLY State Troopers are permitted to use radar guns to clock a driver's speed. Each traffic offense carries 2-5 points. Overall, your strategy to beat a photo radar ticket looks like this: Avoid being served, do not respond for four months. Our attorneys can be reached at (614) 361-2804. Keep in mind, missing ANY of your court dates could result in: If you cannot make it to your assigned court date, usually you can request a continuance in writing or in person at the applicable PA traffic court. For example, speeding up to 10 miles over the speed limit is a 2-point violation. Visit 800 Spring Garden St. on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 1. Before you try to fight a speeding ticket, check with your insurance to see how much your premiums will increase if you fight the ticket and lose since they might go up more than if you were to just plead guilty. If ANY of the rules below are not followed, a driver will have a solid case against the speeding ticket. If you ask for a hearing, plan to make your case and be questioned before a judge. document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Using DoNotPay is a simple way to avoid paying unfair speeding tickets and dealing with higher insurance rates for several years after getting convicted of speeding in Pennsylvania. Cost money upfront: Youll pay the speeding ticket and any court fees. For more tips from our Legal co-author, like how to prepare for your speeding ticket trial, read on! If you accept a plea bargain and plead guilty, your car insurance rates could go up! Successfully overturning 200,000 tickets, DoNotPay understands the steps to make traffic tickets go away without paying ridiculous fees. Take notes during the prosecution so you can prepare your cross-examination. Legal Help for Moving Violations, Parking and Traffic Tickets - Speeding Tickets: 1/2 mile from my house I was clocked (Robic stopwatch) doing 49.1 MPH in a 35 zone (3.37 sec over Speeding Ticket Information (Stopwatch) - Pennsylvania 5 points. Get you tickets dismissed easy. 3 points. You will need to post collateral with the court, usually the cost of the ticket plus court costs or request a waiver of reduction. Notice of Intended Prosecution Loopholes You Have to Know, How to Pay Your Houston Water Bills Online Hassle-Free, How to Remove My Case From The Internet Instantly, How to Recover Your Forgotten Workday Password Hassle-Free, How to Stay In Touch With Inmates at Clements Unit, Sending Money to an Inmate Has Never Been Easier, How to dispute seatbelt tickets in any state, Learn about filing a complaint against any company, Renew your car registration the quick and easy way, PA commercial drivers driving "carelessly" or "recklessly". Your day in court resembles most other types of hearings. For more tips from our Legal co-author, like how to prepare for your speeding ticket trial, read on! Upload a photo of your speeding ticket. You do not want to pull over in an intersection or anywhere else you might obstruct traffic. To avoid paying an exorbitant amount upfront and over time for a speeding ticket in PA, you can always fight the ticket in court. How Do I Fight a Red Light Camera Ticket in Pennsylvania? Call 855-868-1675. Winning the case will result in a refund of the collateral you have paid and protect your driving record. If you dont attend the hearing, your license will automatically be suspended until you do. Remember, this is not an admission of guilt. NOTE: This blog article is for advertising and general informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon by any individual seeking to represent himself or herself in any legal proceeding in any jurisdiction. Super Speeder Fee: Additional charge of $200 if you're caught going at least 85 miles per hour or at least 75 miles per hour on a two-lane roadway. In other cases, fighting the ticket may be the best option. If you do end up accepting the speeding ticket, its crucial to compare car insurance quotes; some companies will raise your rates more than others. Whatever you do, dont ignore the ticket. Fighting traffic tickets in Pennsylvania is a procedure that can be initiated by submitting a "not guilty" plea to the court that is processing your citation. Subscribe to stay in the loop & on the road! If the Pennsylvania judge decides you're not guilty of the traffic violations, congrats! Traffic Violations Providing evidence, testimony and if appropriate, witnesses The opportunity to be represented by an attorney Testimony by the officer who issued the ticket Cross-examination of the officer by your attorney Losing the opportunity to plead outright to lower charges First, look over your citation. When the officer asks you, "Do you know why I stopped you? By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. If he refuses, ask him to note the request. Pennsylvania police use a number or different methods to track vehicle speed and issue citations. Immediately after the officer gives you the written citation, make sure all the information is correct, including anything identifying you or describing your car. Your sentence could include any of the following: NOTE: According the federal law, all commercial drivers MUST notify their employer of traffic charges within 30 days of conviction. However to beat a radar speeding ticket, you must understand how the radar works. dispute the ticket. plead guilty with an explanation. Over the phone by calling (800) 492-2656. A speeding ticket can result in huge fines and an increase in your insurance premiums. Contact the Pennsylvania traffic court in the county where you received your citation for more specific information on how to enter your plea of not guilty. Having the appearance moved closer will make fighting the ticket easier for you. If your driving record is otherwise spotless and the ticket is for 11 or less miles over the speed limit, the least expensive option is to enter a plea of No Contest or Guilty and pay the fine. Exceeding a speed limit by at least 26 miles per hour. Generally, you must inform the court in person if you plead not guilty. In addition to the speeding fine, drivers also must pay a surcharge based on the mph over the Maximum Speed Limits outlined in the table below. Fighting a Speeding Ticket in Pennsylvania The penalties for a speeding ticket can include fines, points on your record, and a suspended license. Fighting with the police officer never increases your chances of leniency. If a plea bargain can't be agreed upon, the PA traffic court will assign you a date to return for trial before a judge. If convicted of failing to drive at a safe speed while driving 11+ mph above the posted speed limit or involved in a crash in an active work zone, you will automatically lose your license for 15 days. Number two: If you get charged with a criminal offense such as reckless or negligent driving, DUI, vehicular homicide or hit-and-run, hire an attorney. Doing this, the officer can immediately see that you're not an immediate threat, and his stress level is reduced. As per the instructions, I am writing to plead 'not guilty' to this charge. Go back to the scene of the citation. As the officer is exiting his car, roll down the driver's side window. If the officer was in the wrong jurisdiction or enforcing the wrong code for the area, for example, the judge would likely rule in your favor. Posting bail means you've already paid your fine, so if you lose your case there will be no additional fees. A jury will usually not be called in for traffic court. A sympathetic officer may be more likely to issue a warning instead of a ticket. Your best chances to win the argument will be if you have physical proof you werent speeding. Continue to get speeding tickets and the suspensions will keep adding up. For every ticket that you pay, a percentage goes to the contracted company and the rest goes to the city. ", answer, "No, I don't." } How to Get a Speeding Ticket Dismissed In Tennessee Quickly. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Subscribe to our News and Updates to stay in the loop and on the road! % of people told us that this article helped them. Your job is to present your case in order to prove you are innocent. Where you have a strong defense, we can present your case to the magistrate or judge and demonstrate that the prosecutor cant prove you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Get your attitude right. my fine is $166 and I explained that as a teacher I would never consciously put anyone at risk, and that i always respect and obey school crossing zones when kids are crossing/boarding buses. I checked my speedometer." Nobody wants to get a speeding ticket, and for good reason. Pleading "Guilty with explanation" means you admit to speeding but want to the court to take certain circumstances into consideration, which may result in your insurance premiums staying the same. A search warrant is required without probable cause. You have the right to cross-examine anyone who testifies against you, which usually means the officer who wrote the citation. You can pay: Online. Drivers who rack up too many points face consequences like having to take a driver improvement course and license suspension. Do not say something like, "I wasn't speeding. You may think that your only option once you have received a speeding ticket is to pay the fine, watch your insurance rates rise, and accept the addition of points from PennDOT. Speed and red light cameras are a type of automated enforcement technology used to detect and deter speeders and red light runners. (null!=i&&i!=o.tag||null!=t&&t!=o.priority)}),gform.hooks[o][n]=r)}}); document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); View Our Disclaimer | Privacy Policy Law Firm Website Design by The Modern Firm. If you do end up accepting the speeding ticket, its crucial to compare. However, this can increase your insurance rates and put your license at risk, especially if you make money as a commercial driver. A plea bargain will require that you change your plea to guilty in exchange for reduced penalties. Maryland Uniform Traffic Citation Payment Kiosk. Prepare to achieve this goal. Check the ticket to find out whether a state, county or local officer issued it and search online for traffic procedures in that jurisdiction. If you recently received a traffic ticket in Pennsylvania, and have the means to prove it was issued. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Also, pay attention to the traffic conditions and look especially for extenuating circumstances that could have caused inadvertent speeding. , possibly resulting in suspension of your license. I'm a school teacher in PA and was just pulled over Friday morning for going 25 in an "active school zone" (15 mph). Fighting a Speeding Ticket In Texas And Winning! I'm really angered by this and want to know what I can do to plead my case. Sometimes, just showing up means you win. This video describes 20 speeding tickets defenses and how to beat a speed. Technicalities can also help you get your ticket dismissed. Heres what to know about your options. You're only two minutes away from getting your PA speeding ticketdismissed using these steps: It's really that simple! The cost for PA speeding tickets varies according to the speeding scale fineover the posted speed limit. Ensure you understand all the penalties & implications for a speeding ticket before deciding to pay the ticket. These lawyers typically specialize in DUIs and more serious cases, but some take speeding ticket cases. Exceeding a speed limit by 16 to 25 miles per hour. This is an important right to be aware of. Because of this, you need to know EXACTLY what the officer used to measure your speed. A bailiff will help conduct the ceremony of a trial. OK92033) Property & Casualty Licenses, NerdWallet | 55 Hawthorne St. - 11th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105. The radar will release a radio wave at one frequency. Missing or incorrect information on your ticket may be grounds for dismissal. The PA traffic court may also appoint you counsel if you meet the following criteria: At a pre-trial conference you (or your attorney) will meet with a Pennsylvania state prosecutor to try to work out a plea bargain. If the officer, for example, does not remember it was raining and a Tuesday he might not look like a less reliable witness. And while our site doesnt feature every company or financial product available on the market, were proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward and free. However, the best way to avoid losing money over a speeding ticket is to simply plead "not guilty" and fight the ticket in court. From raising your insurance ratesto staying on your driving recordfor an extended amount of time, getting a PA speeding ticket can cause you more of a headache than just a one-time fine and getting points added to your PA driving record. Once you get a red light camera ticket, you first need to check the instructions on the violation. The court handling the ticket should be included on the ticket. The case is State v. Jarosz, 2013-Ohio-5839. Comparing auto insurance rates after speeding tickets. Make sure you choose a firm who has experience fighting traffic tickets in Pennsylvania. Politely ask the officer if he can move the court appearance to the county seat. If you choose to plead guilty to a speeding ticket in Pennsylvania, there are several ways to pay the fine within the deadline stated on your ticket. That way you can decide whether to contest the ticket or pay the fine. 2. NerdWallet strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. If you decide to fight the ticket in court. This information may be different than what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider or specific products site. Most drivers have sped at one point or another, even if just a couple of miles per hour over the speed limit. The goal is to avoid the speeding ticket going on your driving abstract, so that your insurance is not affected. Log-in to DoNotPay and find the Speeding Ticket product. If you find discrepancies with your credit score or information from your credit report, please contact TransUnion directly. If you receive a speeding ticket, the fine amount will be printed right on it. However, if you want to give some answer do not admit guilt here. Your best chances to win the argument will be if you have physical proof you werent speeding. if( jQuery(.ajax-loader).hasClass(is-active) ) { If you are found guilty, you will also have to pay the penalties and fines. Whether you live in the PA city where you received the ticket or want to commute back to the area, pay for your speeding ticket in Pennsylvania in person by going to the court stated on your ticket. How to Fight a Speeding Ticket If you get a speeding ticket, you may think your only course of action is to pay the fine, accept the points from PennDOT and watch your insurance rates go up. }); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); All of the information on the Colgan & Associates, LLC web site is for informational purposes only. This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Box 597 Baltimore, MD 21203-0597 Work Phone: By phone 4) Tell them who the actual driver was. NerdWallet writer Philip Reed contributed to this report. Unfortunately, enrolling in a defensive driving course will not reduce points on your Pennsylvania driving record. Anything you say can be used against you if you go to court. Cost more money long term: After a ticket, your car insurance rates can rise by hundreds of dollars per year. In some areas, you must request mitigation in writing. Even if you were clocked at 26 miles per hour, the ticket is under $50. A trial gives you an opportunity to fight the traffic ticket in front of a judge or jury, and most people prefer to hire a traffic ticket . If you plan to testify in your own defense, you might want to practice your testimony until you feel comfortable telling your story. Law Firm Website Design by The Modern Firm, Emergency medical service (EMS) surcharge: $10, Judicial computer program / access to justice account surcharge: $10, General fund surcharges: $30-300 depending on the traffic offense and your driving history, Court Costs: $37 or $45 if you request a hearing, Fourth or higher suspension = 1 year, no matter how many points, You are facing a potential suspension because of points, Your ticket is based off a VASCAR device reading (these devices must be properly calibrated and are often inaccurate), Police committed errors in tracking your vehicle, issuing the citation to the right vehicle, or performing the stop, You believe your officer may not show up to the hearing.