If You Plead Not Guilty For a Traffic Ticket Can The Judge Pronounce You Guilty Then?

[ineedhelp81]

What is the name of your state? Arkansas
I am going to court on Tuesday for going 33 in a 20 MPH school zone, first offense. I plan on pleading not guilty in case the Judge has plans for putting me in Jail so I can get a lawyer and get a trial and hopefully can work out a deal with the City Attorney before that trial to where I don't have any Jail time. My brother had to appear before another Judge in a small town a few years back for speeding on ice and running into some parked cars, from what I understand the Judge went ahead and had the cop who gave the ticket, who was there, to come up and explain, the Judge ended up going ahead and giving my brother a fine. Can a Judge do this, I think a person, even the ones just going to court over a Traffic Ticket, has the right to plead not guilty and recieve a fair trial.

[acmb05]

Originally Posted by ineedhelp81

What is the name of your state? Arkansas
I am going to court on Tuesday for going 33 in a 20 MPH school zone, first offense. I plan on pleading not guilty in case the Judge has plans for putting me in Jail so I can get a lawyer and get a trial and hopefully can work out a deal with the City Attorney before that trial to where I don't have any Jail time. My brother had to appear before another Judge in a small town a few years back for speeding on ice and running into some parked cars, from what I understand the Judge went ahead and had the cop who gave the ticket, who was there, to come up and explain, the Judge ended up going ahead and giving my brother a fine. Can a Judge do this, I think a person, even the ones just going to court over a Traffic Ticket, has the right to plead not guilty and recieve a fair trial.

My god man it is traffic court. Pay the stupid fine and be done with it. If you plead not guilty then yes the judge will call the cop up and have him explain why he issued you the ticket. You will then have a chance to ask the officer any questions and explain your side. The judge will then make his ruling from that testimony. This is not like criminal court. You won't have more time to gather evidence and present your case, you are expected to have that when you show up for court.

Were you speeding? I assume they have you on radar? You don't get jail time for a speeeding ticket. You pay a fine or go to traffic school and pay court costs.

If you go to court and are found guilty of the speeding charge(which you probably will be) you will then also have to pay court costs on top of the ticket.

[ineedhelp81]

That's what everybody is saying, so that could mean jailtime. This is the first time this Judge is holding court like this for Speeding in School Zone offenses and nobody, including the City Attorney knows what he is going to do. The court I am attending tommorow will be where he asks you if you're not guilty or guilty and I know you have the right to a trial and an ATTORNEY. It is also not Traffic Court, it is Municipal Court and I have had tickets in the past, the latest was three over a year ago.

Originally Posted by acmb05

My god man it is traffic court. Pay the stupid fine and be done with it. If you plead not guilty then yes the judge will call the cop up and have him explain why he issued you the ticket. You will then have a chance to ask the officer any questions and explain your side. The judge will then make his ruling from that testimony. This is not like criminal court. You won't have more time to gather evidence and present your case, you are expected to have that when you show up for court.

Were you speeding? I assume they have you on radar? You don't get jail time for a speeeding ticket. You pay a fine or go to traffic school and pay court costs.

If you go to court and are found guilty of the speeding charge(which you probably will be) you will then also have to pay court costs on top of the ticket.

[fairisfair]

Originally Posted by acmb05

My god man it is traffic court. Pay the stupid fine and be done with it. If you plead not guilty then yes the judge will call the cop up and have him explain why he issued you the ticket. You will then have a chance to ask the officer any questions and explain your side. The judge will then make his ruling from that testimony. This is not like criminal court. You won't have more time to gather evidence and present your case, you are expected to have that when you show up for court.

Were you speeding? I assume they have you on radar? You don't get jail time for a speeeding ticket. You pay a fine or go to traffic school and pay court costs.
If you go to court and are found guilty of the speeding charge(which you probably will be) you will then also have to pay court costs on top of the ticket.

In this case he might
[url]http://forum.freeadvice.com/showthread.php?t=337625[/url]

[ineedhelp81]

What?? This is not fair, I have a 40-hour a week job and I've learned my lesson, I don't speed anymore, this was a mistake b/c I was runnning late to work and I was stupid, and I don't even go through school zones anymore. I don't even think I was speeding, my car has not ran good for a long time, it seems to go slower than what the spedometer is saying. what is putting me in jail going to do?? It's not going to protect anyone, b/c there is nobody I am going to hurt and I will loose my job and who knows what else could happen to me in Jail.

Originally Posted by fairisfair

In this case he might
[url]http://forum.freeadvice.com/showthread.php?t=337625[/url]

[justalayman]

You really must be kidding with all of that.

There are plenty of folks in jail that have (had) the same story.