Q: I'm 19, I was going 86 in a 55, cook cty. First offence, court date, fine and license taken. Anything i can do to lower?
I'm 19 years old, and this is my first traffic violation ever. I was going 86 in a 55 on my way to school. I received a 1,500 bond, got my license taken by the officer and received a court date. I already looked in to asking for a "no contest" plea for first offenders , and taking a defensive driving course to get my license released sooner. Is there anything I can do to attempt to lower the charges and get my drivers license released sooner?
A:
Hello Asker,
Yes, there are steps that can be taken to lower the charge but the extent to which it can be lowered will depend on which courthouse specifically you are required to go to. As I'm sure you've read, it is a criminal misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in jail and/or $1,500 fine. While these are maximum punishments, they aren't necessarily common. With that said, it is important to recognize that this is a criminal offense and can give you a criminal record if not handled properly. As for traffic school, you will likely be required to complete it for this type of violation but it is important to remember that unlike less serious offenses, you cannot simply request traffic school to prevent the offense from appearing on public records.
My recommendation would be to call around and speak to different attorneys to see what their rates are. For this type of violation, it is recommended to hire an attorney if you want to prevent a criminal record or seriously damaging your insurance rates.
Hope that helps and let us know if you have any additional questions!
Sincerely,
Jason A. Wilkins
Traffic Attorney
(630) 445-2293
1 user found this answer helpful
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