Q: Got a ticket from a state trooper for 20 over. I have to call and go to court to get supervision. Y can't I mail it in
I previously got a speeding ticket and was able to request supervision through mailing in the ticket and am confused why I have to attend court to do this now
A:
Hello Asker,
Your question is perplexing as that type of ticket does not require appearing in court. That said, it is a blessing that they aren't allowing you to mail in the ticket if your previous ticket was within the past year. This is because court supervision requests by mail are invariably denied if you have had a ticket within the past year. This could be what the officer was referring to about needing to go to court for supervision.
On to the question of why a court appearance is required. Court appearance is required for certain types of speeding tickets and certain other violations. Any misdemeanor violation mandates a court appearance. The most common of these are for license related offenses and speeding 26 or more over the limit. Additionally, some non-misdemeanor offenses often given with speeding tickets such as insurance tickets mandate court appearances. As for speeding tickets, the only offenses that come to mind that trigger mandated court appearances are those related to speeding over 26 mph over the limit, speeding in a construction zone, or speeding in a school zone. Either way, it is recommended that you speak to an attorney as most speeding offenses which trigger court appearances have higher risk of supervision either being explicitly barred by statute (as is the case in school zone and some misdemeanor speeding situations) or less likely to be an option (as is the case with construction zones).
While this list does offer some explanations, it is not exhaustive and you should speak to the circuit court clerk of the county the ticket was issued in to verify whether you have a court date. By law, it must be within 14-60 days after issuance of the ticket. We recommend checking every week for at least 4 weeks to see if you have a court date. The reason is because some state troopers delay in submitting their tickets to the clerk's office.
I hope that helps and we wish you all the best. Let us know if you have any additional questions.
Sincerely,
Jason A. Wilkins
Traffic Attorney
(630) 445-2293
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