08-01-2008, 02:38 PM
Jess Wrote:What code section was written on your summons/ticket? (just verifying that it still isn't reckless by speed). It will be the number starting with 46.2 - ???
Your three choices for a plea are guilty, not guilty, or no contest (not admitting guilt, but agreeing the evidence is enough to find you guilty). In my experience, if you plead guilty, explain what happened in a nice and civilized manner (i.e. don't be dick, don't act like the cop is retarded, etc), and if the cop agrees that you were cooperative, ask the judge if you can have the opportunity to take DIP. In my traffic court (Roanoke City), the judge will let you take DIP class and get the ticket dismissed if you haven't done DIP within the past 5 years or so. The other alternative is the judge will consider reducing the ticket to a lesser grade of speeding, and cut you a break on fines and points.
Be friendly to the cop when you get there, he may talk to the Commonwealth for you, or he may just recommend a lesser infraction to the judge. Usually I find that the CAs don't get involved much with the speeding tickets, at least in my jurisdiction. They're usually too busy talking with us defense attorneys about the real cases coming up after the "guilty plea" line and leave punishment to the judge's discretion.
I wouldn't bother hiring an attorney unless you know someone who can do it for cheap. Most of the time with speeding cases people come out the same without an attorney as they would have with an attorney (but we still like people to think we got them a "great deal" on their case). :wink:
Yea 46.2-874 Speeding (L) - It sounds like "no contest" was the plea I was looking for. Jess do you think I would be better off asking the judge about taking the DIP versus taking it now before my court date?
thanks for all the help guys and gals
:wink: