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Speeding Tickets

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mikeskysoldier

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Florida

As I was returning to Ft Bragg, NC, I got 2 speeding tickets in Florida, I would like to know how I can deal with them, as I will be in Iraq/Apghanistan for the next six months or so. I leave next week, which is less than 30 days after I got the tickets. Bothe fines are about $200, and while I am guily of one, the other was fraud on behalf of the FHP, they said a plane got me at 90 mph, which is a lie for sure, on several points. I wasn't going 90 ever that day, and they did NOT have a plane like they said. My wife & I watched for more than 1/2 hour as cop after cop pulled people over. The entire time, there were no planes visible in that area, NONE. If I am convicted of both of those tickets, or plead guilty to them, I could lose my license for years, under the habitual offender speeding act (A judge in my home area already threatened me with that.
Is there any way I could postpone the hearing on the tickets until I get home? If so what do I need to send the court. Also, I would rather just pay both fines, & not have the tickets hanging over my head for the next half year or so, I have enough to worry about if you know what I mean, but I would like the judges to with hold the convictions.
Thanks for your help, anyone.

Pray for peace! Mike
 


seniorjudge

Senior Member
mikeskysoldier said:
What is the name of your state? Florida

As I was returning to Ft Bragg, NC, I got 2 speeding tickets in Florida, I would like to know how I can deal with them, as I will be in Iraq/Apghanistan for the next six months or so. I leave next week, which is less than 30 days after I got the tickets. Bothe fines are about $200, and while I am guily of one, the other was fraud on behalf of the FHP, they said a plane got me at 90 mph, which is a lie for sure, on several points. I wasn't going 90 ever that day, and they did NOT have a plane like they said. My wife & I watched for more than 1/2 hour as cop after cop pulled people over. The entire time, there were no planes visible in that area, NONE. If I am convicted of both of those tickets, or plead guilty to them, I could lose my license for years, under the habitual offender speeding act (A judge in my home area already threatened me with that.
Is there any way I could postpone the hearing on the tickets until I get home? If so what do I need to send the court. Also, I would rather just pay both fines, & not have the tickets hanging over my head for the next half year or so, I have enough to worry about if you know what I mean, but I would like the judges to with hold the convictions.
Thanks for your help, anyone.

Pray for peace! Mike


Since you have no defense to either ticket, you need to start some serious plea bargaining with the prosecutor. (BTW, that "I'm going to war" excuse is an ancient one; I'm sure the judge has heard several thousands of times. See below.)









Standard answer

Here are some hints on appearing in court:

Dress professionally in clean clothes.

Do not wear message shirts.

Don't chew gum, smoke, or eat. (Smokers...pot or tobacco...literally stink. Remember that before you head for court.)

Bathe and wash your hair.

Do not bring small children or your friends.

Go to court beforehand some day before you actually have to go to watch how things go.

Speak politely and deferentially. If you argue or dispute something, do it professionally and without emotion.

Ask the court clerk who you talk to about a diversion (meaning you want to plead to a different, lesser charge), if applicable in your situation. Ask about traffic school and that the ticket not go on your record, if applicable. Ask also about getting a hardship driving permit, if applicable. Ask about drug court, if applicable.

From marbol:

“Judge...

You forgot the one thing that I've seen that seems to frizz up most judges these days:

If you have a cell phone, make DAMN SURE that it doesn't make ANY noise in the courtroom. This means when you are talking to the judge AND when you are simply sitting in the court room.

If you have a ‘vibrate’ position on your cell phone, MAKE sure the judge DOESN'T EVEN HEAR IT VIBRATE!

Turn it off or put it in silent mode where it flashes a LED if it rings. AND DON'T even DREAM about answering it if it rings.”

(Better yet, don’t carry your cell phone into the courtroom.)”


Here are five stories that criminal court judges hear the most (and I suggest you do not use them or variations of them):

1. I’ve been saved! (This is not religion specific; folks from all kinds of religious backgrounds use this one.)

2. My girlfriend/mother/sister/daughter/wife/ex-wife/niece/grandma/grand-daughter is pregnant/sick/dying/dead/crippled/crazy and needs my help.

3. I’ve got a job/military posting in [name a place five hundred miles away].

4. This is the first time I ever did this. (This conflicts with number 5 below, but that hasn’t stopped some defendants from using both.)

5. You’ve got the wrong guy. (A variation of this one is the phantom defendant story: “It wasn’t me driving, it was a hitchhiker I picked up. He wrecked the car, drug me behind the wheel then took off.” Or, another variation: “I was forced into it by a bad guy!”)

https://forum.freeadvice.com/showthread.php?p=854687#post854687

Public defender’s advice

http://newyork.craigslist.org/about/best/sfo/70300494.html


Other people may give you other advice; stand by.
 

sukharev

Member
Call the court listed on the tickets. You can either ask for continuance, or for an earlier date, and you can prove that you are indeed going to war with the documents. You may also be able to talk to DA and see where you get from there. Regardless, arguing there was no airplane would not work. Just plead guilty, and ask judge for deferral, or probation, or prayer in judgement or whatever the Florida version of this would be. Good luck.
 

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