['97ventureowner]

I'm not sure how the courts differ in your state, but in NY, if you get a moving violation, you can go to court and ask to speak to whomever is there representing the District Attorney's office. Usually they will work out a deal where you take a defensive driving class, which is 6 hours long,andupon completion you present the proof and they can do one of many things. 1) they could dismiss the ticket, 2) they could reduce the ticket to a lower infraction, and 3) anything else at the discretion of the judge. Usually they dismiss or reduce the ticket and all you might pay is a fine or penalty. Since this is your first ticket, they will probably be more likely to be lenient with you. Another advantage of taking the defensive driving course is that you will then be eligible for a 10% reduction on some parts of your auto insurance rates for 3 years. In my area , the course is pesented by our local safety council, or AAA. It costs between $35 to $40 for the course and is usually held either during the week,( 2 days 3 hrs each day,) or on a saturday for 6 hrs. I would start by going to or calling the court and find out the procedure for handling the ticket and see if they have any provisions for taking the course to reduce the ticket. Another thing that taking the course does is reduce the number of points on your license for moving violations. The court can probably furnish you with further info on these courses as to where they are held and the costs. Most of the courts here in NY where I live don't accept the arguments on defective sppedometer and/or cable. It is hard to prove and can get expensive going to the lengths to try to prove your innocence. It is usuallty cheaper to take the course and hopefully they will throw the ticket out and you might pay a small fine seeing you have a clean driver's license. If you plan on fighting the ticket, make sure you research what is involved and how much it will cost versus the cost of the course and any related fine.