Q: I’m 17 I got pulled over going 82/55, I have no previous tickets or warnings, I have a court date, what could happen?
A:
Hello Asker,
First, you should anticipate having a parent or guardian present with you if you won't be 18 at the time of the court date. Even if you will be, it is usually advantageous to have one anyway.
Second, it is hard to say what can be expected because by definition, 100% of the people who don't hire an attorney won't have an attorney there to witness what happens when someone goes to court without an attorney. What I can say is that there are generally three outcomes for this type of violation. One is a conviction which would drastically increase insurance rates and put you at risk of suspension if you have another moving violation. It will also give you a criminal record. Another is supervision which will prevent insurance damage and license issues but will still be a criminal offense on your record. The last circumstance that is possible is a reduction in the speed to a non-criminal level (21-25 mph over the limit). This one is more rare but still possible depending on the county. You can either be convicted or given supervision for such a violation which would be the same result as the above two save for the criminal part.
In general, it is best to speak to a lawyer before going in on one of these tickets because not only does it carry criminal penalties (up to $1500 fine and/or 6 months in jail), but it also can affect your eligibility for better sentences on traffic matters in the future. For instance, if you get one of these offenses on your record, you may NEVER get supervision again. While jail is unlikely, you should contemplate speaking to an attorney. Hope that helps!
Juan Ooink agrees with this answer
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