Will fighting my ticket actually accomplish anything?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Will fighting my ticket actually accomplish anything?

I was driving at night getting home from work. The street that I decided to commute in this time is right outside a court building and a county jail, so there are many stops signs. The area that I was driving in had 2 stop signs, 1 behind the other. I am fairly sure that I stopped but I was cited for failing to stop by an officer who saw me, using a Lidar, disregard the stop sign in the other side of the road. I want to plead not guilty and go to trial but I’m wondering if doing so would achieve anything?

Asked on October 6, 2016 under General Practice, California

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 7 years ago | Contributor

You will be asking the court to believe you--if you claim to have stopped for the sign--instead of the officer; that means you are asking the judge to believe a person who has something at stake (points and/or a fine) vs. believing a sworn, trained, and objective police officer, who has nothing personal at stake. In my experience in traffic court, there is essentially no chance the judge will believe you; if you fight, you are *very* likely to lose.
What you should do is show up to court a little early and speak with the prosecutor. If you otherwise have a clean driving record, there is a good chance he will offer you a plea to a lesser offense: no or fewer points, and/or a smaller fine.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption