Q: I am 17 and I got a speeding ticket on my mom's car that is not insured under my name

A: First, you can always identify whether you have a court date by visiting a county clerk's website. To do this, you should look near the top of the ticket to determine which county your case arises out of, google "county name case search" (with the county name inserted in the search term, and enter your own personal information. In most situations, your name is enough to locate your case. You can also call the Clerk of the Circuit Court of ______ County (with the blank filled in with the name of the county) and request your case information there. Based upon the car not being insured in your name, the officer may have written you a ticket for operating a motor vehicle without insurance. If this is the case, your court appearance will without doubt be required.

Second, whether or not you are required to appear in court on this matter, attending court may be the best result for you in spite of the costs. Some counties such as DuPage County have standing rules which forbid granting of court supervision, the most lenient penalty, to for driver's under a certain age unless they appear in court. Since you were not driving over 25 mph, you would be eligible for supervision so long as you have not received court supervision twice within 12 months of receiving your ticket. With court supervision, you can prevent this offense from being reported to insurance companies as a conviction. This will also prevent a conviction on your license which can be suspended if you receive two moving violation convictions within 24 months. The best way to receive this result is to appear in court. Because of your age, you will require a parent or guardian to be present with you.