Ticket advice...

[Sijray21]

If you hire the right lawyer and you've done something short of involuntary manslaughter or DUI with your car then there's no reason why it shouldn't be reduced to a non-moving or minor violation or be completely thrown out at all.

this is likely, but not guaranteed. i've witnessed others before me in traffic court, with lawyers, receive no less of a charge than me. I'm not sure how much money they spent in total, but when i searched for a lawyer for traffic court the charges were north of $500, typically $750 or $1000 plus the insurance hike, drivers education course (in one case), and a $300 fine -- he was recklessly speeding.

If you can find a good lawyer for cheap, then why not hire them? if she decides to get a lawyer, find one that is in the jurisdiction as the court so they're familiar with the judges, like Lee mentioned. i had a Class II misdemeanor (traffic) charge last January end with a dismissal, but the lawyer fees were worth it considering what i was up against in maximum (albeit not likely) charges. if it was a speeding ticket i wouldn't have hired a lawyer...you're guaranteeing yourself of speding the money if you hire a lawyer with the potential of paying more...

i think that she should thank her lucky stars that the officer didn't persue 81mph or above personally... the ticket she was issued was 80mph which is speeding (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://leg1.state.va.us/000/cod/46.2-862.HTM">http://leg1.state.va.us/000/cod/46.2-862.HTM</a><!-- m -->). insurers will not treat a speeding violation with near the same seriousness as a reckless and they may even grant her forgiveness if it's her first offense (this is happening more than it has before).

edit: i'm also with Rex and Mike, i've never paid more in insurance premiums because of speeding tickets...only for my reckless