Speeding in MD

Asking for feedback if anyone has an opinion about what I should do:
I recently got a ticket for speeding in PG county. It was a speed trap, four cop cars pulling over about 1 person every five minutes (I was third in line and two more got pulled while I was waiting for my ticket). The officer said she clocked me at 58 but wrote me a ticket for 49 in a 40 zone, with a $70 fine. I want to contest the ticket for two reasons:
1) I don't want points (even 1 point) on my clean driving record (10years, no tickets til now) for insurance purposes (broke student, can't afford higher insurance rates)
2) PO wrote wrong info on ticket: mispelled last name, wrong driver's license#. Can the ticket be dismissed on these technicalities?
3) I have read that if I request a hearing, plead guilty and ask for leniency/probation before judgment and/or defensive driving school, I will have points removed (will suck it up & pay fine/court costs if necessary)

Any suggestions on how I should proceed, share own experiences & advice? It's much appreciated!!

10 years, no tickets - go for option #3.

Option 3 is a winner.

nycwink said:

Asking for feedback if anyone has an opinion about what I should do:
I recently got a ticket for speeding in PG county. It was a speed trap, four cop cars pulling over about 1 person every five minutes (I was third in line and two more got pulled while I was waiting for my ticket). The officer said she clocked me at 58 but wrote me a ticket for 49 in a 40 zone, with a $70 fine. I want to contest the ticket for two reasons:
1) I don't want points (even 1 point) on my clean driving record (10years, no tickets til now) for insurance purposes (broke student, can't afford higher insurance rates)
2) PO wrote wrong info on ticket: mispelled last name, wrong driver's license#. Can the ticket be dismissed on these technicalities?
3) I have read that if I request a hearing, plead guilty and ask for leniency/probation before judgment and/or defensive driving school, I will have points removed (will suck it up & pay fine/court costs if necessary)

Any suggestions on how I should proceed, share own experiences & advice? It's much appreciated!!

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Go with option #3.

Good morning, welcome to the District Court of Maryland for Prince George's County.

If you decide to plead guilty, I will drop the points, waive 1/2 the fine and court cost. Please line up to the right and the clerk will be with you in a moment.

Anyone else, remain seated until your case is called.

There might be 1 or 2 idiots that sit and wait. :shrug:

Sit in the front so you can jump in that line pretty quickly.

One more thing, do not complete the back of the citation and send it in. They will automatically schedule a hearing if the fine isn't paid in 15-days. This is for when you want to plead guilty with an explanation. It is simpler for anyone to deny a request when a request isn’t made in person.

Personally, I’d take the gamble and appear for court BECAUSE it is P.G. County and many of those officers don’t show for court.

Here is a link that explains this.
District Court of Maryland

Also if they wrote the wrong drivers license number and name wrong there may be a good chance that you wont get a court date because they cannot reference it properly but yes do not send in the ticket just wait for your paperwork to come in and plead guilty with a pbj.

I say roll the dice with option number 2.

that cop may have thought you were hot and wrote the incorrect info down on purpose....hoping that maybe you would appear in court and meet back up with the cop again. Then she would take you out to dinner afterwards....

nycwink said:

Asking for feedback if anyone has an opinion about what I should do:
I recently got a ticket for speeding in PG county. It was a speed trap, four cop cars pulling over about 1 person every five minutes (I was third in line and two more got pulled while I was waiting for my ticket). The officer said she clocked me at 58 but wrote me a ticket for 49 in a 40 zone, with a $70 fine. I want to contest the ticket for two reasons:
1) I don't want points (even 1 point) on my clean driving record (10years, no tickets til now) for insurance purposes (broke student, can't afford higher insurance rates)
2) PO wrote wrong info on ticket: mispelled last name, wrong driver's license#. Can the ticket be dismissed on these technicalities?
3) I have read that if I request a hearing, plead guilty and ask for leniency/probation before judgment and/or defensive driving school, I will have points removed (will suck it up & pay fine/court costs if necessary)

Any suggestions on how I should proceed, share own experiences & advice? It's much appreciated!!

Click to expand...

I notice "slow down" wasn't one of your options.

15 years of driving ... 1 speeding ticket.

:knocksonwood:

If they wrote the wrong info on it you can probably get away with it. Mother worked for the court for years, she said that even one typo on ppwk can mean someone gets off for free. If they didnt write your DL# right then I think you have a good chance. Id try that and normally if you go to court with a good driving record then the judge should give you comm. service, but it is from PG so its hard to say what they will do. Hopefully they wont shoot you and plant drugs on you.

pearlie369 said:

If they wrote the wrong info on it you can probably get away with it. Mother worked for the court for years, she said that even one typo on ppwk can mean someone gets off for free. If they didnt write your DL# right then I think you have a good chance. Id try that and normally if you go to court with a good driving record then the judge should give you comm. service, but it is from PG so its hard to say what they will do. Hopefully they wont shoot you and plant drugs on you.

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pearlie369 said:

If they wrote the wrong info on it you can probably get away with it. Mother worked for the court for years, she said that even one typo on ppwk can mean someone gets off for free. If they didnt write your DL# right then I think you have a good chance. Id try that and normally if you go to court with a good driving record then the judge should give you comm. service, but it is from PG so its hard to say what they will do. Hopefully they wont shoot you and plant drugs on you.

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Thats no longer true, and hasnt been for years. The cops are given leniency for sloppy/poor/un-readable handwriting and mistakes.

ALWAYS go to court.

Worse that can happen is you'll get the Points and Fine that was assigned to you by the ticket (if you just mailed it in, you'd get this no matter what).

If you havent had a ticket in a few years (generally 3 or more) usually the judge will give you leniency and make you pay the fine, but not assign the points (thats the biggie that will kill you in insurance). sometimes in lieu of the fine you will be offered community service (generally 8 hours)

the best that will happen is the Officer doesnt show up. when you arrive at the court, there is a paper docket of all the cases for that day. find your name and the officer who issued your ticket (if you dont already know his name). then when the court starts, usually (but not always) the judge will tell you if your officer isnt there, if he isnt plead NOT GUILTY (one time i went and 3 guys ahead of me, for a different officer, still pled guilty even though they were notified the officer wasnt there).

Yesterday, (at Leonardtown) one of the officers, had 2 months of cases (he postponed last month) so he had to many people on the docket (roughly 75). if you hadnt had a ticket in 3 years, they were offering 8 hours of community service or a "donation" (to project graduation) of 130.00. no point and case was dismissed.

One time at Upper Marlboro the Judge was sick, so people who had come that day to court were waiting 3 hours for the Judge to show up. a different one was called in, and as soon as he was Seated let everyone know, that he isnt not assigning guilt (also meaning no points) and to pay the fines and they were clear.


ALWAYS GO TO COURT.

dustin said:

hoping that maybe you would appear in court and meet back up with the cop again. Then she would take you out to dinner afterwards....

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You watch too much pr0n.

nycwink said:

Asking for feedback if anyone has an opinion about what I should do:
I recently got a ticket for speeding in PG county. It was a speed trap, four cop cars pulling over about 1 person every five minutes (I was third in line and two more got pulled while I was waiting for my ticket). The officer said she clocked me at 58 but wrote me a ticket for 49 in a 40 zone, with a $70 fine. I want to contest the ticket for two reasons:
1) I don't want points (even 1 point) on my clean driving record (10years, no tickets til now) for insurance purposes (broke student, can't afford higher insurance rates)
2) PO wrote wrong info on ticket: mispelled last name, wrong driver's license#. Can the ticket be dismissed on these technicalities?
3) I have read that if I request a hearing, plead guilty and ask for leniency/probation before judgment and/or defensive driving school, I will have points removed (will suck it up & pay fine/court costs if necessary)

Any suggestions on how I should proceed, share own experiences & advice? It's much appreciated!!

Click to expand...

in enough trouble myself (not that you are in trouble) over that DUI/DWI along with all the other tickets they wrote me that night January for the tag lights out and taking me to charles county's finest motel .. sorry dont know what to tell you