Can You Contest a Traffic Ticket Without Going to Court?

A traffic ticket can increase your insurance premiums and put your driving privileges at risk. You can contest the traffic ticket to keep your record clean or ask for traffic school to avoid points on your record. However, going to court to fight a traffic ticket may not be worth the time and cost.

There are ways to deal with a traffic ticket without going to court in person. Traffic cases can depend on the type of violation and where you got the ticket. To find out about alternatives to in-person traffic court, talk to a local traffic ticket lawyer.

Contesting Traffic Tickets: An Overview

When a police officer makes a traffic stop, they can give you a ticket for any type of moving violation. Traffic tickets can include running a red light, a stop sign, or driving above the posted speed limit. The traffic ticket generally has information about the specific violation and your right to challenge the ticket.

You can contest a ticket if you don’t think you committed the violation or there was a justifiable reason for your driving. For example, if you get a ticket in the mail for a traffic violation after your vehicle was stolen, you may not be responsible. However, you must go to court with evidence to support your defense.

Depending on your state’s traffic laws and the violation, you can generally contest a traffic ticket by:

• Appearing in traffic court on the hearing date
• Requesting a traffic ticket hearing
• Disputing the ticket by mail

Alternatives to Court Appearances

For most traffic cases, you will have to appear in person. However, there are ways to challenge traffic infractions without showing up to the court date. Possible alternatives to court appearances for speeding tickets include:

• Pleading guilty and paying the traffic fine
• Fighting a ticket by mail
• Hiring a traffic offense attorney to represent you in court
• Remote appearance if you live out of state

You can plead guilty and pay the fine without going to court. However, it could put points on your driving record. A traffic ticket can increase your car insurance rates. Too many tickets can lead to a driver’s license suspension.

You can dispute some traffic violations by mail. Contesting tickets by mail can be limited to certain types of tickets. You will also have to rely on the evidence you send to the court without a chance to talk to the traffic judge. This is a viable option when you have clear proof that you are not guilty of the traffic violation.

An attorney can represent you in court, so you don’t have to take a day off work to go to traffic court. An attorney can act on your behalf for most types of traffic violations. However, serious traffic offenses that involve criminal charges (like reckless driving or a DUI) may require you to appear in person.

Some courts may allow you to appear remotely by video or phone call. This may be limited to motorists who live out of state, serve in the military overseas, or cannot appear in person. You must contact your local court to see if they allow a remote appearance.

Written Declarations Explained

Traffic ticket contests by mail involve sending in any evidence you have to support your case and detailing your defense. The judge will review the information and issue a written declaration by mail. The declaration can clear the traffic ticket, change the amount of the ticket fine, or uphold the charges and penalties.

A written declaration is convenient because you don’t have to go to court in person and wait for your case to come up. However, you must rely on your written submission to convince the court. If the judge rules against you, you can still request an in-person hearing.

Plea Bargaining for Traffic Violations

You can plea bargain to lower the traffic violation to a lesser infraction. Most plea bargaining requires an in-person appearance to negotiate with the judge. Generally, your traffic lawyer can negotiate with the judge to reduce the charge to a non-moving violation, like a parking ticket. Non-moving violations typically won’t increase your insurance rates.

Attending Traffic School

Most states offer traffic school for first-time traffic violations or when a driver hasn’t had a ticket in a certain period of time. If the motorist is eligible, they can attend traffic school or take a defensive driving course. Traffic school is a driver safety education program, usually a half-day class. Some states offer traffic school online.

After completing the traffic school requirements and paying a fee, the ticket will not go on your record. Insurance companies won’t increase your rates, and you can keep your record clean. However, drivers usually aren’t eligible if they have multiple violations within a given period.

Attorney Appearing to Contest Your Traffic Ticket

The simplest way to contest a traffic ticket without going to court is with a traffic ticket attorney. Most minor traffic tickets don’t require you to appear in person if you have an attorney. Your attorney can act in your place, contest the ticket, and negotiate with the traffic court judge for the traffic school.

There are many benefits of using an experienced attorney to handle your ticket. Local traffic law attorneys are familiar with the local laws, law enforcement officers, and traffic court judges. Your attorney can identify legal defenses and challenge the ticket in court. An attorney can also negotiate to get lower fines or avoid points on your driving record.In some cases, the cost of an attorney is not much more than that of higher insurance premiums you may pay for the next few years. Contact a local traffic ticket attorney about contesting your traffic ticket.