Go to Court, or just pay, or Go to school?

phenix_fyah · #1 11-02-2004, 07:07 AM

Hey all,

I live in Florida and about 2 weeks ago I got a ticket. Heres what happened:

It was around 12:30am on a Sunday I was going home from the movies and Iwas pretty tired. I came to a light at an intersection and was waiting for it to turn green. This was a 5 lane road [3 thru, 2 turning] I was going thru.while waiting for 35 seconds I was playing with the radio, then turn lights turned green and unconsciencly started to go. I drove for about 20 feet roughly [ the middle of the intersection] and realised that i was on red! so i stopped IMMEDIATELY. I noticed behind that I couldn't reverse cause the car behind took my spot. I looked at the intersection and it was dead so i CAUTIOUSly proceeded across. About half a mile down a cop comes up behind and stops me.
I am 20 years old and my driving record is clean until now.
The weird thing i noted was the cop seemed to be insisting that I pay for the ticket, cause he gave me a payment envelope.
Beside the point what should i do?

Just pay it

Go to court and plead?

or

Go to traffice school and pay it and not have it on my record?
- Florida law allows you to go to traffic school to avoid the points and have a clean record . you can opt to do this 1 time in 12 months and not more that 5 times in your lifetime.

Any advice?

phenix_fyah · #2 11-02-2004, 07:33 AM

Please note that the ticket is for 112.50 dollars.

clawhammer · #3 11-02-2004, 08:37 AM

Go to traffic school. It's the easiest. At your age it will be best not to have your insurance go up.

93rollaracer · #4 11-02-2004, 09:37 AM

i'd say go with school too. i'm pretty sure the cops in some states will give you payment envelopes with any ticket.

keep the record clean...go to school

Igovert500 · #5 11-04-2004, 06:40 PM

School or court...NEVER pay a ticket that has points...just by showing up at court, they will probably offer you a plea bargain.

lwpat · #6 11-05-2004, 07:29 PM

School is your best bet and will save your insurance.

TrafficSchoolOnline

DVS LT1 · #7 11-09-2004, 11:21 AM

The Mod's right on - take EVERYTHING to court. At the VERY LEAST, you are buying yourself a couple months before possible conviction - and that could be the difference between getting an insurance renewal for another year at the same rate, or seeing it jacked up when you finally get it.

The way I see it, you have nothing to lose by taking it to court. Either the cop is not there and it gets thrown out automatically, or he's there.

If present, you can meet with the cop and prosecutor prior to trial to try and arrange pleading guilty to a lesser fine (just say, "hey, please give me a break, I'm a student blah blah..." If it doesn't fly or you simply don't want to kiss ass, you've still good the good olde judge to talk to!

It all revolves around YOU! The cop and his bitch prosecutor can be there ready to finish you (and they will if you fight - you'll never win), but the judge will ask you how to you plea - here in Canada you can plead guilty with an explanation, but I dont' even like ENTERING a plea! When he asks me, I just say "actually, I was hoping I could kindly get my fine reduced, have 90 days to pay, etc..." I can't speak for Florida but up here most judges respect the fact that you took the time to come to court - especially if you're young that makes you look responsible. Then you can give him the noble shpeel about being a good piss-poor student. I have yet to see, in my over 20 court appearances, a justice that has refused to give anyone (let alone ME) an extension to pay at the least! Most times your fine gets bumped down as well.

Now this may seem like peanuts if you're still losing points, but its better than nothing - and as mentioned you've prolonged your conviction. Draw out the processes even more if you want, thats worked well for me. I once put off a conviction I knew I'd get (cop said so) by re-scheduleing my first attendance meeting with prosecutor, then getting my aunt to go to court to say I had an exam (it was exam time) - by the time I went to the second court date it had been 11 months, I had already signed my new renewal for a year, and I got my fine reduced.

But I STILL lost points? Yes, but by the time next years renewal came around I GAINED points back from an older ticket that came off my record during the present year, so this dragged out conviction replaced the lost points on my next renewal and prevented me from paying up the ass for two convictions.

I can tell you guys some really neat court ticks, I've found so many wicked tricks.

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