Q: If I got a speeding ticket going 47 mph over the speed limit do i need a lawyer for court?

A: Hello Asker,

First, yes, you will need a lawyer because this is a Class A Misdemeanor. It is punishable by up to 1 year in jail and/or a fine of up to $2,500. Additionally, it is not on its own technically eligible for court supervision making conviction mandatory if found guilty. For these reasons, judges are often reluctant to enter judgment on these matters when defendant's are not represented by counsel.

Second, the previous speeding ticket will make it harder to work with this case but not necessarily impossible. This means that your chances of conviction for this offense are higher and the risk of damage to your license greater.

That said, you don't have serious risk of your license being suspended based solely on this ticket. In order for a license to be suspended for too many moving violations, the rules depend on your age. If one of the following occurs, you will be suspended:

-Receive TWO convictions for moving violations issued prior to age 21 AND those tickets were issued within 24 months of one another.

-IF you received a prior suspension for the above rule, receive ONE conviction for a moving violation issued before age 21.

-Receive THREE convictions for moving violations issued on or after your 21st birthday AND those tickets were issued within 12 months of one another.

Absent one of these three rules applying, you can't be suspended UNLESS you miss court. That said, you would be advised to speak to a lawyer not only because quick resolution of this case is often not possible otherwise and a lawyer can identify if you have any other moving violations that, on their face, don't sound like one (for example, driving without headlights is considered a moving violation while operating an unsafe motor vehicle isn't).

Hope that helps and let me know if you have further questions!

Sincerely,

Jason A. Wilkins

Traffic Attorney