How to Get a Speeding Ticket Reduced
Aside from fighting your ticket (guide here), there is a chance that you can get your speeding ticket reduced if you’re willing to take it to court. While this can definitely be an inconvenience, it will potentially save you a substantial amount of money. Anyone who receives this type of traffic citation should at least consider doing this. In this article, we will go through the steps you need to know when it comes to getting your ticket reduced to a lesser charge.
Table of Contents
How to Get Your Speeding Fine Reduced
Think Twice About Hiring an Attorney
While you might be tempted to hire an attorney to get your ticket reduced, it probably isn’t necessary. If all your dealing with is a speeding ticket, you can most likely do all of this on your own. You will end up paying the average lawyer far more money than you would pay for the ticket itself.
This is something that really isn’t all that difficult for the average person to do without legal representation. This varies as well depending on your location. For California-dwellers, we’ve got a few more tips for you on this info page.
If you are facing any criminal charges like reckless driving or DUI, you always want an attorney by your side. Also, make certain that you hire the right attorney if you are seeking legal services. You want to find someone who has lots of experience with the types of charges you are facing.
Make it Clear You’d Like a Deal
You will need to make it clear to the prosecutor that you would like to make a deal of getting your speeding ticket reduced. If it’s your first time and you have an otherwise clean driving record, it will be much easier to do this. Those who have lots of recent past traffic tickets might not be able to get their speeding ticket reduced. For first-timers, you might want to read this.
Collect All of the Necessary Documents
Before you head to court for your ticket, you’ll want to print off a copy of your driving record. You should be able to get this fairly easily, though you might be required to pay a small fee. This way the prosecutor will be able to see very clearly that you have a clean record. If the prosecutor refuses to make you a deal, you always have the option of appealing to the judge.
Get to Court Early
Make sure that you get to court at least half an hour before your scheduled appearance. This will help you in convincing the prosecutor and judge that you deserve a deal. Being late to your own court appearance is disrespectful and will work against you in a big way. You’ll also want to be well dressed and act respectfully at all times. You should never come across as combative towards the judge or prosecutor.
Explain Why You Want Your Speeding Ticket Reduced
When you sit down with the prosecutor to discuss a possible deal, you’ll need to explain why you want the ticket reduced. If you have a clean driving record, you will want to bring up that. You can always tell them that you cannot afford to pay the ticket due to lack of funds. Keep your explanation brief and concise. You also need to be completely honest, because otherwise, you could find yourself in a very bad situation.
Evaluate the Deal
If the prosecutor is willing to give you a deal and reduce the charges, you should evaluate whatever they are offering. You will most likely want to take the deal if it is anything less than speeding.
Don’t try to play hardball and negotiate with the prosecutor, because you won’t like how it ends. It is, however, still important to make sure that you are going to be in a better overall position if you do take the deal.
Don’t Ramble on During Your Appeal
If you end up appealing to the judge, you don’t want to ramble on. It is important to keep your defense as brief as possible. There are going to be many other people who need to go in front of the judge, so you won’t have a lot of time. You should be concise and get right to the point. Remember to stay calm the entire time as well. Getting emotional will only work against you in the end. Specific tips on what to say on this article: https://www.ratedradardetector.org/ticket/speeding/say-in-court/.
Never Admit Guilt
You should never admit guilt when you are trying to get your speeding ticket reduced. The prosecutor can use your admission against you. Once you admit that you are guilty of the charge, you’ll have no chance of getting the ticket reduced.
It’s All up to the Judge
Keep in mind that that the judge is ultimately the one who is going to decide whether or not to reduce your speeding ticket. A judge is allowed to ignore the recommendation of the prosecutor, even if you have already worked out a deal with them. You shouldn’t be overly cocky, because there is no guarantee that you will get your speeding ticket reduced. Better avoid getting tickets in the first place (RRD tips about avoiding tickets HERE and getting out of tickets HERE).
William Johnson is the owner and founder of RatedRadarDetector.org. He writes about car accessories, with his passion stemming from a deep enthusiasm for all things automotive. His website, RRD, focuses on in-depth reviews of car accessories to help people find the best and latest products in the market.
