Q: 26mph over speed limit. 19 years old. Cop said if take class dont have to go to court/no conviction.Illinois Ticket fee?
A:
The police aren't required to tell you the truth and may have just said something to deescalate the situation. Even if they are trying, they can still simply be wrong. Here is a list of lawyers near you who specialize in this: https://www.justia.com/lawyers/traffictickets/illinois/mundelein
Contact one of them and get the correct answer. It's worth it to retain a lawyer.
Cheryl Powell agrees with this answer
A:
Hello asker,
First, the officer was wrong. YOU MUST go to court. Speeding 26-34 mph over the limit is a class B misdemeanor and as a consequence, court appearance is required. The rules which allow you to avoid a court appearance specifically do not apply to these types of offenses. Whatever else the officer said, you should contact the court clerk in the county of the ticket (in this case Lake County) and verify what your court date is. If you fail to appear, a warrant can issue for your arrest and a judgment of up to $1500 may enter against you.
Second, because you were speeding 26 or more over the limit, you may not be eligible for avoiding a conviction. For this reason, it would be highly advantageous for your to schedule at a bare minimum a free phone consultation with an attorney. There are steps that can be taken to help prevent a criminal misdemeanor conviction from occurring and you will want to be able to take advantage of them to protect your license and your driving record.
Lastly, you should also be aware that as a 19 year old, your license is fragile if it is an Illinois license. If you receive two moving violation convictions for offenses issued within 2 years and before your 21st birthday, you will be suspended for 1-12 months and potentially revoked if the offenses were serious enough.
Hope that helps clarify things and let us know if you have any other questions!
Jason A. Wilkins
Traffic Attorney
(630) 445-2293
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