Speeding tickets are issued when a driver is caught going over the speeding limit. A police officer will pull the driver over and issue him a ticket. The driver can however decide whether to accept the ticket or contest it to get it dismissed.
You can get a speeding ticket dismissed, however, you must have enough justifiable reasons to convince the judge to let go of the ticket. Therefore, in this article, we will be discussing how to get a speeding ticket dismissed.
How to Get a Speeding Ticket Dismissed
Here are “how to get a speeding ticket dismissed”:
Step 1: Get Your Facts Together
For you to get a speeding ticket dismissed, you have to get your facts together. When I say facts, I mean your reasons for going over the speed limit.
These reasons are what the judge will consider to either dismiss the speeding ticket or let you pay the fine. In order words, if your facts are justifiable, the judge may consider and dismiss the ticket.
For example, if the reason for your speeding was because of a pregnant woman in your car who is in labor, you can present it to the judge. If there is a video recording from the dashcam to prove your assertions or a witness, the judge may dismiss the ticket
Step 3: Fight the Ticket
Fighting a speeding ticket is one of the ways to get the speeding ticket dismissed. You can fight the ticket if there is a mistake on the ticket. This is to say that you can get a ticket dismissed for wrong information.
Some of the wrong information to look out for are:
- Wrong License Plate Number: If the police officer who issued the ticket to you made a mistake in your license plate number, it is enough to get the ticket dismissed. You can argue that the plate number on the ticket does not belong to you.
- Wrong Car Make and Model: The police officer is supposed to write down the correct car brand and model you were driving. If for example, you are driving a Lexus IS250 and the officer wrote Lexus RX350, it’s obviously a mistake, and with a good lawyer, the ticket can be dismissed.
- Color of the Car: The color of the car is also important. If there is a mistake on it, a good lawyer will know how to maneuver his/her way to use it to get the ticket dismissed.
- Wrong Name: If the officer made a mistake in your name on the ticket, it is enough to get the ticket dismissed. However, a good lawyer can do it.
You can also fight a speeding ticket to get it dismissed if the information written on the ticket is not complete. If the officer was in haste and failed to complete other vital information needed in the ticket, a good lawyer can use it to get the ticket dismissed.
If you were sure that you were not going over the speed limit before the officer pulled you over, you can question the authenticity of the equipment used in determining the speed. You can argue that the speed radar gun is faulty. However, you will need to prove it.
Step 3: Contact a Lawyer
You can contact a lawyer to represent you in court. The lawyer should be able to weigh your reasons and evidence and tell you whether you have a case or not. In a situation where you don’t have a case, the lawyer should be able to tell you to avoid wasting everybody’s time.
Hiring a lawyer who is good at his job can go a long way in getting the ticket dismissed. He will know how to present his facts to the court and get the judge to reason with him.
You can still represent yourself if you don’t have the funds to hire a lawyer or when you don’t know what to do, probably you have never been summoned in court before. To avoid ruining your chances, a lawyer is preferable.
Step 4: Be Humble and Respectful in the Court
Being respectful in court can go a long way to saving you the hassle of paying the fine that comes with a speeding ticket. Your manner of approach, your dress code, and the way you relate to the judge can make him like your personality and dismiss the ticket.
If you appear judgemental, rude, and disorganized, you will ruin your chances of having the ticket dismissed. Be aware of your body language throughout the court processions, and the manner in which you answer the questions and present your facts, all these can help get the ticket dismissed.
5. The Police Officer Fails to Come to the Court
Sometimes police officers can be very busy and may not have all the time in the whole world to appear in court, if that is the case, then you are lucky because the judge may have to dismiss the ticket. If the police officer who issued the ticket is nowhere to be found in the court, the ticket may be dismissed by the judge.
6. First Speeding Ticket
A judge may get a speeding ticket dismissed if it’s your first speeding ticket. Let’s say you’ve been driving for more than 30 years and it’s your first time getting a speeding ticket in 30 years of driving, the judge may consider and have the ticket dismissed.
Again, your manner of approach, your mode of dressing, and your body language will play a huge role in making this possible. If you become rude and over the place, it may ruin your chances.
How to get a speeding ticket dismissed in North Carolina is the same as how to get a speeding ticket dismissed in Georgia. All you have to do is to follow the procedure explained above. You can hire a lawyer or represent yourself in the court.
It is important to note that a speeding ticket can only be dismissed if the judge finds the reasons for the overspeeding justifiable. Therefore, there is no need to fight a speeding ticket that led to a crash and injuring other road users. You may find it difficult to dismiss such a ticket no matter what your reasons are.
What to Say to Get Out of Speeding Ticket in Court?
Here are the things to say to get out of a speeding ticket in court:
- Say that you are not guilty
- You were going less than 5 – 10 mph over the speed limit
- Explain how the weather was when the incident happened
- Explain in detail why you went over the speed limit
- State whether there is a speed limit signs on the road or not
While saying all these, ensure to keep your cool and mind your body language.
Can I Just Pay My Ticket and Not Go to Court?
Yes, you can just pay your speeding ticket without going to court but you have to contact the court before the court date on your ticket to make the payment. You can also contact them to inquire how you can make the payment without going to the court. If it is possible to do so, they will tell you.
Conclusion
One of the ways to get a judge to dismiss a speeding ticket is to appear humble and respectful in court. Your body language and mode of dressing should be excellent. The judge may like your personality and sense of reasoning and dismiss the ticket.
However, the first step in getting a speeding ticket dismissed is by fighting it. You need to fight it to get it dismissed. You can either hire a lawyer to do this or represent yourself. Most times, many people tend to represent themself in court. You can do that if you know your way around it. You can also hire a lawyer to handle the case for you.