Getting a speeding ticket is something that is very intimidating. Red and blue lights in your rearview mirror can send even the most confident person into a nervous panic. Police officers con sometimes feel intimidating and do not take kindly to disrespectful people. It is best to be very polite and show the officer the respect you have for the law enforcement of Missouri. If you are pulled over, the officer should have had a reason to do so, and a ticket will usually be issued. Is that it, do you have to pay the fine and add points against your license? The answer is no. The process to have a ticket amended or dismissed gets complicated, and we do not advise an individual to try to handle them on their own. Lexstop Law Firm, LLC will walk you through the process of a speeding ticket from the initial stop to the final disposition.
When you are pulled over, the police officer will walk to the front window. If it is unsafe for the officer to go to the driver’s side, the passenger window is used. The officer will ask you for your driver’s license and vehicle registration. They will tell you the reason you were pulled over and at this point you may ask to see the officer’s badge and photo identification. When they give you a ticket, the officer will keep a copy and he will give you a copy. The ticket will have specific features for you to lookout for.
At the top of the ticket you will find the ticket number and information about the county in which you were cited. This will include the county name, police department, and location of the courthouse where you can contest the ticket. The next section will have the information about the stop. It will include the date, location, and time the ticket was issued. The next section is where personal information, which is basically all the information you will find on your driver’s license. There will then be a line that is for the police department use only. Under that you will see your vehicle’s information and the reason you were pulled over. The officer’s information and your court date are at the very bottom of the ticket. There is a signature box at the bottom as well, but it is not required that you sign the ticket to validate the ticket.
A ticket issued by the Highway Patrol is a bit different and is handled by the Fine Collection Center in Jefferson City, Missouri. Unlike the tickets issued by the local police, the FCC tickets will list no court or court date, but will have “due in 30 days” at the top. Like any other ticket, it is best to call an attorney immediately after the ticket is issued.
An attorney will take your case and begin the negotiations process. At Lexstop we will first talk to the prosecutor of the given jurisdiction. We will file an Entry of Appearance on your behalf, which informs the court that we will represent you in court. We also send the prosecuting attorney a Request for Recommendation and Continuance. The request for recommendation asks the court to change the violation from a moving (speeding) to a non-moving or non-point infraction (parking ticket). The continuance is a request to move the court appearance to a later date than on your ticket so we can have time to negotiate a plea bargain. It is likely that the court date on your ticket will be changed after entry on the case.
Most lawyers will simply send the recommendation in hopes the ticket will be amended. This is not always the case, and at Lexstop we go to court every time to try to ensure the ticket is amended if the court refuses to do so. We make sure that the client receives the best legal service possible and will not back down if the judge denies initial recommendation. After we have negotiated an amendment for your ticket, the court will issue its disposition. A disposition is the decision the judge makes on the issue. The court will typically approve a recommendation to a lesser violation (non-moving or non-point) and will issue a new court date.
At this point all that is left to do is pay the lesser fine to the court by the issued date. If you do not pay the new fine or ignore it all together, warrants for your arrest will most likely be issued. It is important for a driver to get a traffic ticket amended. If you accumulate too many points on your license, Missouri can suspend your driving privileges. It can also be detrimental to insurance premiums. If your provider feels you are too reckless, your premiums will skyrocket or you can be dropped from coverage all together.
At Lexstop we will handle your ticket both swiftly and professionally. We will appear in court in your place, and out of convenience for our client’s we may correspond over the phone or email if you cannot make it to our office. We have experience in many different jurisdictions and understand how different each one can be. Let us use our experience and expertise to fight your ticket. Call a lawyer at Lexstop Law Firm, LLC to discuss your speeding ticket today. We are here to fight for you and your driving record.