Q: What might my sentence be for a criminal speeding ticket in AZ for a first time offence?
I was driving and I sped up to make it past the light that I felt was about to turn yellow. There was only one other car on the road and it was a truck in the next lane. I passed the truck but started to slow down once I made it past the light, but the truck was following me and it was dark. Because I couldn't tell if it was a cop, I sped up cause I felt I was in danger of some lunatic with road rage. I felt in danger because the truck was extremely close to me and was tailgating me even with the faster speeds. But the cop recorded 75 in a 45 in a business district and recorded it using "Radar." I have a court case about a month away, but I don't know much else. I hear there are sometimes things you need to deal with prior to the court date like a driving class or something like that. But I really just want to get by with a ticket and driving school at most. I don't want this to go to any sort of criminal record as I'm really young and worried that this will be a huge obstacle for me.
A: Based on everything you said, you should be hiring a lawyer to handle this for you. Every case is different so it is not possible to tell you what you will get unless you hire someone. We have seen some judges give people 3+ days of jail for criminal speeding first offense. Other judges might be merciful and dismiss the case if you complete defensive driving school. However, once the judge makes up their mind it is almost impossible to get them to change it. That is important because you have to hire a lawyer before you see the judge or else it might be too late. Based on what you said, it is too important for you to risk going to jail, much less having this on your record. Give us a call and we can do a free consultation.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
