Someone didn't read the thread

1/19/2011 4:01:32 PM

Quote :

"look, I'm saving the PB&J for some day when I run down a homeless person in a fit of alcohol-fueled rage."

I'm about 99% sure you're joking. But even if you are exaggerating a bit...you do know that a prayer for judgment can't be used for stuff even smaller than what you mentioned?

1/19/2011 4:33:43 PM

Quote :

"I was coming off I-95 (speed limit 70) down the ramp onto Hwy-24 (apparently speed limit 55). I hadn't even seen the first sign for double nickle before I got pulled. I wasn't too happy about that - I didn't even get a reminder the limit had changed before I was getting pulled. "

you should know that the speed limit is going to change when you go from an interstate to a state highway. not seeing a sign is not an excuse, as you are to assume all highway speed limits are 55 unless there are signs that state otherwise.

[Edited on January 19, 2011 at 7:42 PM. Reason : i got my first ticket in november it sucks.]

1/19/2011 7:42:11 PM

Quote :

"Just got quoted $250 + court costs = $400ish geez "

I got a ticket Dec 30th in Virginia (80 in a 70). Called a lawyer today, allegedly it's going to be $60 fine + $61 court costs + $150 lawyer fee, but it shouldn't affect my insurance at all.

1/19/2011 7:48:47 PM

Quote :

"county-wide speed limit 55 unless otherwise posted"

1/19/2011 7:51:13 PM

i'll try to respond to this in greater detail later...but you don't want to waste a PJC on this little shit.

Either show up to court and they'll probably reduce it to 9-over (which won't affect your insurance as long as you don't have any more moving violations or at-fault wrecks in the next 3 years), or depending on the county, you can usually hire a lawyer and make it totally disappear for about $250 (getting 9-over by representing yourself would probably save you $100 or so).

Personally, I'd get a lawyer if they could make it go away...but then, I know that there is not even a chance that I'll go 3 years without a speeding ticket.

Quote :

"Just got quoted $250 + court costs = $400ish"

That's a rip-off. $250 is a fairly standard-ish all-inclusive price for legal representation, court costs, and any fines remaining when the lawyer's done. You pretty much just mail a check to a lawyer, or give him a credit card # over the phone, and he'll contact you in a few months to let you know that it's all taken care of.



[Edited on January 19, 2011 at 7:56 PM. Reason : the lawyer pays your fines and court cost, then pockets whatever's left as his payment.]

1/19/2011 7:53:11 PM

improper equipment ftw

1/19/2011 7:56:52 PM

most counties have gotten rid of the improper equipment reduction

1/19/2011 7:58:12 PM

really? i used that all the time back in my camaro days

1/19/2011 8:01:09 PM

maybe, but many will reduce it to some other non-moving violation.

for example, i got convicted of a seatbelt ticket one time when I was wearing my seatbelt (I was actually speeding; they just used that as a non-moving violation to reduce it to. if that doesn't illustrate that traffic fines are about revenue, not safety, I don't know what does).

[Edited on January 19, 2011 at 8:02 PM. Reason : Wake County, NC and Montgomery County, AL are the only two I've found that don't do this.]

1/19/2011 8:01:40 PM

One hundred and fucking seventy five dollars for some hot shot douche fresh out of law school? We are soooo fucked as a nation.

1/19/2011 8:12:34 PM

Maximangger is an idiot. Get a lawyer and spend the money to keep your record in good merit

1/19/2011 10:48:55 PM

people telling you to ask for a PJC on your first ticket are not well informed.

that's just setting yourself up for future failure. you can easily get it reduced to 9 over and it will not affect your insurance.

when i used to do speeding tickets, i would just grab my clients record from the DMV that showed they had never had a ticket (or at least one in the last 3 to 7 years, depending on how clean they were, that's the record print out that i chose), and go ask for a reduction to 9, and i never had an issue. it had nothing to do with me representing them.

now... that first time is a pass, but if you've had more than one in three years, then things can get a little more complicated.

go in with your driving record, ask for a reduction first --- if they won't do it for you, then ask for a continuance. if it's a smaller county, they may be pricks about it, and essentially force your hand into hiring a local attorney for the reduction.

**disclaimer** this is not legal advice, although it is probably what i would do personally **disclaimer**




[Edited on January 21, 2011 at 1:03 PM. Reason : .]

1/21/2011 12:47:06 PM

So were you breaking the posted speed limit if it was not really posted? Sounds like they should have had a sign up saying the speed limit had gone down.

Did this lawyer even ask you what happened?

1/21/2011 12:50:48 PM

umm James Crouch?

1/21/2011 12:54:50 PM

I hired James Crouch to deal with a stop sign violation.
Several months later got a letter in the mail saying my license was being revoked for failure to appear.
When I called his office they told me my case was closed, but couldn't tell me what the verdict was. Then I told them about the letter I had received. They looked into it, claimed it was an error by the clerk of court, and promised to fix it.
A few months later I got a letter from his office saying that he had plead to a lesser charge of 34 in a 25 and my insurance wouldn't be affected. Fair enough.
Several months later I notice my insurance premiums have gone up on my two cars, house, and boat policies.
I call the court and they tell me he plead guilty to the original charge of running a stop sign.
I call his office and am told that it was an error by the clerk of court and they would fix it that day. I ask them to send me a letter when it is resolved. A week passes and I haven't heard anything, so I call back. Spoke to a different person; nothing has been done. She promises to get it fixed with the clerk of court. Another week or so passes and I finally receive a call saying it has been fixed.

I pay jacked up premiums on two cars, a house, and a boat for a year because getting the insurance companies to re-run my driving record and adjust in the middle of the policy period seemed to be a losing battle.

My policies have renewed and it appears to be fixed now, but my experience dealing with his office was not a good one. I have serious doubts about the first error by the clerk of court being legit simply because his office appeared to have closed my case.

You can say that it's not his fault if there were legitimate errors by the clerk of court, but if the clerk of court's office is really that bad (which I somewhat doubt) then his office needs to put some sort of check system in place to verify that their clients' records are being filed properly.

In addition, I have talked to another person whose license was revoked for failure to appear after hiring his partner Mancester. Another anecdote that leads me to question that law office's credibility.

The rest of you can do what you want, but I know I won't be hiring him again. I have better things to do than to deal with letters threatening to take my license, frustrating calls to the DMV, frustrating calls to my insurance agents, calls to his office, jacked up insurance premiums, etc. I thought I was doing myself a favor by paying a lawyer, but it turned out to be nothing but a headache.

[Edited on January 21, 2011 at 1:41 PM. Reason : s]

1/21/2011 1:37:16 PM