Arizona
Hi, I'm not sure if this is the correct forum to be posting this on so please advise me if I need to move it to a different one.
I am a UK citizen and whilst on holiday in Arizona recently I was stopped for speeding. I was in a 65mph zone and the officer informed me that I was doing approx 100mph, although I have not seen proof of this. I was given a criminal citation and told I had a month to sort this out.
I tried calling the court on several occasions whilst still in the US but was told the citation had not yet been filed. On my return to the UK I tried again, the citation had been filed and I was told that if I pleaded guilty I would receive a $300 fine and a Class 3 misdemeanour which would remain on my record forever.
My concern is that I travel frequently to the US on business - usually at least twice a month - and I have a C1/D American visa. I understand that having a Class 3 misdemeanour on your record does not preclude you from applying or reapplying for a visa, but I am concerned that I may have trouble getting through immigration or be taken to one side for special handling each time I visit.
As a UK citizen I am not fully familiar with your legal system and would appreciate advice on whether it would be worth me contacting a local attorney and attempting to arrange some sort of plea bargain, with regards to a probation period of some description as opposed to receiving a criminal record. I don’t have a criminal record in the UK and for the last nine years that I have been travelling to the US I have not had any dealings with the police authorities.
When the officer asked me how fast I think I was going, I said "75 or 80" - he said "not even close" but didn't show me any evidence (I was too stunned to ask to see any).
I have a clean drivers licence in the UK (been driving 15 years), in 8 years of visiting the US I have never had any dealings with the police, I don't have a criminal record in the UK - this was a serious lapse of judgement caused by a few factors. Mostly that I was tired after my flight from the UK, I was worried about the Lodging reception closing before I got there (flight was delayed), I was driving on the opposite side of the road from what I'm used to and driving an automatic (I drive a stick shift in the UK).
The fine isn't the issue here, it's the class 3 missdemeanor on my record and also the embarassment of being carted off to the immigration office, in front of my work colleagues, everytime I enter the US. This sort of punishment will happen for possibly the next 30 odd years I am working.
This has really been getting to me. Any further advice would be appreciated, today I intend to call the County Clerk and ask her for Attorney recommendations.
Any advice would be appreciated as I do not have much time left to get back in touch with the courts.
Many thanks
Hi, I'm not sure if this is the correct forum to be posting this on so please advise me if I need to move it to a different one.
I am a UK citizen and whilst on holiday in Arizona recently I was stopped for speeding. I was in a 65mph zone and the officer informed me that I was doing approx 100mph, although I have not seen proof of this. I was given a criminal citation and told I had a month to sort this out.
I tried calling the court on several occasions whilst still in the US but was told the citation had not yet been filed. On my return to the UK I tried again, the citation had been filed and I was told that if I pleaded guilty I would receive a $300 fine and a Class 3 misdemeanour which would remain on my record forever.
My concern is that I travel frequently to the US on business - usually at least twice a month - and I have a C1/D American visa. I understand that having a Class 3 misdemeanour on your record does not preclude you from applying or reapplying for a visa, but I am concerned that I may have trouble getting through immigration or be taken to one side for special handling each time I visit.
As a UK citizen I am not fully familiar with your legal system and would appreciate advice on whether it would be worth me contacting a local attorney and attempting to arrange some sort of plea bargain, with regards to a probation period of some description as opposed to receiving a criminal record. I don’t have a criminal record in the UK and for the last nine years that I have been travelling to the US I have not had any dealings with the police authorities.
When the officer asked me how fast I think I was going, I said "75 or 80" - he said "not even close" but didn't show me any evidence (I was too stunned to ask to see any).
I have a clean drivers licence in the UK (been driving 15 years), in 8 years of visiting the US I have never had any dealings with the police, I don't have a criminal record in the UK - this was a serious lapse of judgement caused by a few factors. Mostly that I was tired after my flight from the UK, I was worried about the Lodging reception closing before I got there (flight was delayed), I was driving on the opposite side of the road from what I'm used to and driving an automatic (I drive a stick shift in the UK).
The fine isn't the issue here, it's the class 3 missdemeanor on my record and also the embarassment of being carted off to the immigration office, in front of my work colleagues, everytime I enter the US. This sort of punishment will happen for possibly the next 30 odd years I am working.
This has really been getting to me. Any further advice would be appreciated, today I intend to call the County Clerk and ask her for Attorney recommendations.
Any advice would be appreciated as I do not have much time left to get back in touch with the courts.
Many thanks