OT: Speeding ticket, lawyer?

[levon15]

I havent had a ticket in at leats 4 years. I get one today on Weidman Road in what is apparently Town & Country. Coming up a hill and at the top is a sign saying 30mph (the hill is 35mph) and a cop 100yds down the road with a radar gun in my face. He said I was doing 45, I'm not so sure its a steep hill.

I called and asked questions of the clerk right away.

The problem. I live in Illinois. The judge only offers the driving class to missouri residents. The clerk said I would need a lawyer to keep the point off my record. I need to keep it off simply because my rates are supposed to go down next month when I turn 25. I asked her if a lawyer was needed and she said I could go myself but the judge dosent like that. Fair enough. I know lawyers used to be judges and they show support in this way I suppose.

Who knows a good lawyer that isnt going to charge me a small fortune for this simple ticket.

Would appreciate all help on the matter. I have never had a ticket get onto my record. Illinois lets you take the class as long as your tickets are more than a year apart. Grrrrrr.

 

[capncapo]

Try calling one of the Traffic Law Centers.I think their fee is $75.00. You are required to pay the fine also but most of the time the ticket gets reduced to a non-moving violation.

 

[bassist6108]

As a lawyer in IL, I know that the judge won't give you any better or worse of a deal if you bring an atty with you to your court date, at least not in Illinois. They have no incentive to treat you differently or to offer you a better deal if dealing with your attorney. Also, in Illinois, we don't use a point system (though Wisconsin does). Here, it's just that a conviction on your record will likely impact your insurance. Also, in my county in IL, assuming you have a decent driving record, you can get court supervision (ie - keep it off your record) without having to take the driving class, it just costs more (court costs are then included). It is my understanding most counties do it this way, and another state probably isn't that much different.

In my experience, if you look for traffic atty's in the yellow pages, you can call a couple and see who's going to charge you less than an arm and a leg. Really, there's no great skill level involved in getting you court supervision on a traffic ticket, so you just need some warm body there with you. This is how we used to find co-counsel when we needed an atty to handle something in another county like this for us at my old office. just my 2c's though. Hope this helps.

- Andrea

 

[levon15]

I know Illinois dosent use the point system but Missouri does. Right so I'm looking at the fine $80, court costs?, $75 for the lawyer.

Sounds fine to me...I guess...does anyone know if I need to show up for the court date if I hire an attorney?

 

[bassist6108]

Hire the atty and ask him/her.

 

[capncapo]

Seems that most municipalities have discovered that court costs and fines are very lucrative and they take it as far as they can. There is no way that you will avoid those anymore.

Your only options to keep it off of your record here are to take the driving class or pay up and hire an attorney to get it reduced. The fines and court costs will not be reduced though.

 

[ncox38]

I dont know if this is necessarily true between MO and IL, so DONT take my word for it.

When I was in college I got a ticket in Kansas for speeding and i just paid it. Because the ticket was in a different state than my license and registration the insurance company never found out about the ticket. Might be an isolated incident, might not, ask around.

If not there are plenty of lawyers that will do it for 40-50 + court cost + whatever they get it reduced to.

Good luck

 

[capncapo]

You don't need to go to court if you hire an attorney.

 

[levon15]

Yeah I know that worked for a ticket I got in Kentucky like 7 years ago but I think Missouri and Illinois share driver info. Not really sure though.

That Kentucky ticket made me pay court fees no matter what.

 

[rams]

TLC - traffic law center - they turn moving violations into improper parking tickets all the time. Plus you won't have to appear in court since it was under 20 mph. Won't cost ya a vacation day. :thumbsup:

 

[levon15]

Whats an estimate on the costs there. I will give them a call tommorow.

He didnt pull me over until I got onto Clayton Road. I couldnt even pull off the road.

 

[trottman]

i know one. It is my Business law teachers brother, so he will hook you up.

let me get his card then ill shoot you a pm. he worked great for me

 

[rams]

probably looking around $250 either way. court costs and ticket probably cost ya around $150 been a while

 

[levon15]

How did I know Trotti was going to hook me up on this one.

It would have to be a friends teachers cousin who you met once.

I appreciate all of the help. Thanks guys.

 

[levon15]

I am glad the tax refund check is coming.

 

[Lost His Marbles Name]

I have had a few tickets and I get them fixed from one of my lawyers for $45.00. The fines are allways $80 to $175.00. It depends on how bad I was. But I don't have any points aginst me.

 

[levon15]

My fine was $80. Does this friend have a name?

 

[arianna06]

Missouri and Illinois do share info. they are joined states and my lawyer told me that anything you do in illinois or missouri will show up on your record no matter if you live in MO or IL. so if you do pay the fine and dont get a lawyer it will show up on your record

 

[DrBDC]

As a teenager I literally had about 50 tickets. Back then you just paid an attorney 50 bucks, got a fine of about 75 and it was changed to a non moving violation like loud and excessive or parking. My dad went to TLC with a ticket, cost him 250 for 74 in a 55 and they didn't do a thing. It went on his lisence and cost him the full fine.

 

[hounddog01]

Most insurance companies go on a points system even if a state does not. Usualy depends on how long you been with the company, if you have mutiple cars with them, If you have your home owners with them, life insurance, etc.

For instance if you have mutiple cars -1, home owners -3, Life policy -2, been with them for 5 years -3. Now your at -9. A ticket is only a +3 so your still at -6. For your rates to go up you need to be +4 or 5.

BTW a DUI is +13 you would want an atorney for that one.

If this is your only ticket your rates should not go up unless you have had others in the last 3 years.