Speeding Ticket In VA

[summerrain]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia

Hello All:

I received a speeding ticket in Virginia for going 10 miles over the limit.

I really want to fight this, and I have some questions.

1) (sorry this if this is basic) but what should I plead? I keep hearing different things. I really don't want points on my license. So, should a plead guilty with an excuse?

2) Again, my main goal is not to have any points on my license. What would be the best way to accomplish this?

I have a pretty good driving record. My last (and only) speeding ticket was 3.5 years ago.


Thanks is advance!!!

[FlyingRon]

There's no such thing as "guilty with excuse". You plead guilty, you will be found guilty. You plead no contest you will be found guilty.

If your record is otherwise clean (and this is a simple speeding, not reckless driving), then most judges will allow you to take the driver school while deferring your case. After they get notification they will dismiss the original ticket.

[summerrain]

Originally Posted by FlyingRon

There's no such thing as "guilty with excuse". You plead guilty, you will be found guilty. You plead no contest you will be found guilty.

If your record is otherwise clean (and this is a simple speeding, not reckless driving), then most judges will allow you to take the driver school while deferring your case. After they get notification they will dismiss the original ticket.

Q. Can I plead “guilty with an excuse” in order to get a lesser penalty?

A. Some judges will announce at the beginning of the docket that you have a right to plead guilty, not guilty or guilty with an excuse. “Guilty with an excuse” is not an actual plea recognized by any competent legal authority. It is a ruse that some General District Court judges employ to encourage guilty pleas in order to move their docket more swiftly while fostering the illusion of a fair hearing. It will entitle you to take up usually no more than thirty seconds of the judge’s time to explain your excuse while the judge imposes the same penalty he would have imposed otherwise.

[url]http://www.brianjgrossman.com/faq_trafficcourt.htm[/url]

I was using the phrase figuratively (as above).

Thanks though.