Can I avoid a point by going to court for speeding ticket?

[Briana]

I got a failure to stop ticket earlier this year, and just a couple months later got a speeding ticket nearby. I paid the first ticket, did traffic school, it was dismissed. Now I'm trying to figure out what to do with this speeding ticket. My options are to pay the ticket, enroll in a payment plan (both of which go down as a guilty plea), request traffic school (Which I don't want to pay for if I know it's not going to help anyway), or to reserve a court date for arraignment. I want to take the ticket to court because I want to see If i can make a plea that will avoid the point on my insurance, and also to try my hand at a longshot possibility of having the case dismissed, as the officer did not mark how he clocked my speed before the traffic stop. The date I have to decide by is the 31st. I don't know what to do. Should I go to court and try my hand? Or just pay the fee and take the point? Is it even possible for the judge to rule to keep the point off of my record (this would be my first one).

Any advice?

 

[army judge]

You appear, plead NOT guilty, and inquire of the city attorney (prosecutor) about DEFERRED ADJUDICATION.

Yeah, you'll pay the fine, you'll pay some fees, you'll pay some court costs, be given probation (60, maybe 90 days), you avoid any citations, time passes, the court DISMISSES the citation; you're as pure as new born baby.

You, your record, your drivers license remain unsullied, clean as a whistle, if you get the deal; DEFERRED ADJUDICATION!!!!

 

[CdwJava]

Briana, what state are you in? The laws and policies on deferrals, traffic school, etc. vary by state. In my state of CA you would not be eligible for TS within 18 months of the first conviction. And going to court is not likely to result in a plea deal as prosecutors are rarely ever present in Traffic Court, and there really is nothing a speed infraction could be reduced to that would not result in a point. But, that's CA ... your state may differ.

 

[Betty3]

OP's IP address is Ca. though I can't say for sure that is where OP resides/got ticket.

 

[CdwJava]

Then, if in CA, there may be no other option than a "Hail Mary" and hope the officer fails to respond to a TBWD or a TDN (trial de novo) and the OP wins by default. Alternatively, the OP can check with the local court to see if there are deferral options available, but, I believe such options are few and far between.