Speeding Tickets in the State of Texas

Remy E. LeBeau · 03-18-2006, 04:30 PM

Is it normal to have to appear in court when you get a speeding ticket or does it depend on how large the offense was?

I received my first ticket in my SVT today. I was clocked at 78 in a 60. I do not argue that I was going 78 but there were circumstances for that speed.

I was on a portion of highway which was 70 mph limit. The Ford Excursion in front of me decided to start littering and throwing garbage out of their car. I accelerated and passed them and as I was coming over a little incline the area changed to 60 mph and the cop caught me as I was beginning to slow down.

He also gave me an infraction for obstructed license plate since I have one of those smoked plate holders ( Are those illegal in Texas)?

I am not originally from the state so I am not completely aware of the state laws, can anyone give me insight as to what to expect on April 5th? (Court Date).

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nxttruck2002 · 03-18-2006, 04:36 PM

I'm not sure if this will help you out, but here it is anyways. There is some good information in this thread.

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=951522

HonduHunter · 03-18-2006, 04:43 PM

well you will go to court and see a judge.

now...you have some options:

1) pay the fine. it will go on your driving reocrd

2) Defensive Driving, take the course and your ticket will not go on your record. you can rent the video, go to a funny class, or i belive you can even take the class online.

3) deferred adjudication... kind of like a probation. you will pay a fine but, all you have to do is not get a ticket in the time set by the judge and the ticket is gone. i am currently on this system now and i only had to be good for 30 days.

i hope this helps!

Remy E. LeBeau · 03-18-2006, 04:45 PM

Alright, thanks guys....

HonduHunter · 03-18-2006, 04:45 PM

no problem...

Tanj! · 03-18-2006, 05:04 PM

I'd suggest get a traffic lawyer and be done with it.

SVT Amateur · 03-18-2006, 05:16 PM

^^ Yeah, I paid $275 for my last ticket and got deferred adjudication as well, but had the lawyer take care of it. I didn't have to go downtown, pay for parking, or do anything like that. I just gave the lawyer my CC# over the phone and they took care of the rest. I just got another ticket and will most likely be doing the same thing again.

Remy E. LeBeau · 03-18-2006, 05:22 PM

so who do i call? some random lawyer?

How do I go about finding a lawyer and what not?

nxttruck2002 · 03-18-2006, 05:23 PM

This was in the thread I gave you:

Quote:

Originally Posted by fastseven

Sullo and Sullo Atty. houston lawyers. $75 a pop. 713.839.9026
2020 Southwest Fwy #300
Houston, TX 77098

Remy E. LeBeau · 03-18-2006, 05:56 PM

Will they deal with San Antonio Issues?

nxttruck2002 · 03-18-2006, 06:19 PM

Oh I didnt see you were in SA (for some reason I assume everyone in TXIC is in Houston. lol). I'm really not sure if they will deal with cases in SA. I'm pretty sure SA also has some cheap lawyers...

DanzBorin · 03-18-2006, 08:22 PM

Usually, within a week or two of getting a ticket, as long as the address on your license is current, you will start receiving solicitations from traffic lawyers. Most of them can do just as good a job as any other one. I have no idea about San Antonio lawyers, as I am also in Houston. But I do have plenty of experience with tickets!!!

catnotrob

P.S. You should also update your "region tag" in your profile to TXIC so you can represent!

livnlegacy · 03-18-2006, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanzBorin

You should also update your "region tag" in your profile to TXIC so you can represent!

+1

and +1 for defensive driving or deferred adjudication.

xixco · 03-18-2006, 10:39 PM

since no one else has mentioned this:

even if you go with Defensive Driving Course, you still pay a fee of sorts to the court, on top of whatever you're having to pay for the DD course. (i think mine was $20, but i honestly don't remember exactly, since it was 3 or 4 years ago)

after having dealt with 2 different tickets 2 different times 2 different ways (1st DD, 2nd deferred adjudimacation), i'm pretty damn sure that next time (heaven forbid) i'm going the lawyer route, as it is WAAAAAAY cheaper and easier.

livnlegacy · 03-18-2006, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xixco

after having dealt with 2 different tickets 2 different times 2 different ways (1st DD, 2nd deferred adjudimacation), i'm pretty damn sure that next time (heaven forbid) i'm going the lawyer route, as it is WAAAAAAY cheaper and easier.

how do you figure that the lawyer route is going to be WAAAAAY cheaper and easier than paying like 1/3 of the fine and $30 for DD??

btw, the quote of $75 for a traffic violation defense seems a little low to me. there will still be court costs due if you have a lawyer represent your case.

the_poser · 03-18-2006, 11:44 PM

Quote:

He also gave me an infraction for obstructed license plate since I have one of those smoked plate holders ( Are those illegal in Texas)?

yes anything that covers any part of your licence plate is illegal. even those dealer licence plate boarders if they cover even one word.

as far as your court date, if you resolve the ticket beffore that you don't have to appear. contact the court and either pay the fine or make arangements to take defensive driving or whatever. If your licence is still an out of state they may ot let you do that though [happened to a friend]

Wheeler Bement · 03-19-2006, 12:39 AM

what can a traffic lawyer do that we as individuals can't do? IT can;t be that hard to file papers...I mean, do we have no stroke since we don't have a law degree?

I just got a ticket(62/40) in sugar land friday night, thinking about the lawyer, but having delt with sugar land in the past, they didn't like to reduce fines. so take this $30 court cost plus $20 dollar DD to dismiss a $250 ticket with a grain of salt. it all depends on the judge.

xixco · 03-19-2006, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LivNLegacy

how do you figure that the lawyer route is going to be WAAAAAY cheaper and easier than paying like 1/3 of the fine and $30 for DD??

yeah, i guess i should've clarified that.

I meant for myself it would be both easier and cheaper.
Various friends of mine go to a lawyer and pay ~$35 to get a ticket taken care of. That's it. No worries about having a day off to go downtown/to court, then worrying about finding parking, blahblahblah.
What that lawyer does after they pay him I DON'T KNOW, but $35 (which even *I* think is not enough $) is WAAAAAY cheaper than anything I've payed in the past.

(honestly, i think the lawyer keeps getting the court date pushed back & such until finally the case is dismissed --- and of course, I didn't mean going to Denny Crane or someone like that; just one of those "traffic ticket lawyers")

All I was wanting do to was make sure homey knew that he'd be paying extra court costs on top of the price of DD (but then I stupidly let my mouth keep running ......or I guess my fingers keep typing). Anyways, not that either amount is that much, but still, finding out at the courthouse (like I did) isn't a pleasant surprise.

(and DAAM, if you hadn't almost quoted me, i could've just edited that out

)

edit:
just do Defensive Driving so you can then get that discount on your insurance. 2 birds<1 stone

03-18-2006, 04:30 PM	#1
Remy E. LeBeau Scooby Specialist Member#: 4714 Join Date: Mar 2001	Speeding Tickets in the State of Texas Is it normal to have to appear in court when you get a speeding ticket or does it depend on how large the offense was? I received my first ticket in my SVT today. I was clocked at 78 in a 60. I do not argue that I was going 78 but there were circumstances for that speed. I was on a portion of highway which was 70 mph limit. The Ford Excursion in front of me decided to start littering and throwing garbage out of their car. I accelerated and passed them and as I was coming over a little incline the area changed to 60 mph and the cop caught me as I was beginning to slow down. He also gave me an infraction for obstructed license plate since I have one of those smoked plate holders ( Are those illegal in Texas)? I am not originally from the state so I am not completely aware of the state laws, can anyone give me insight as to what to expect on April 5th? (Court Date). * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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03-18-2006, 04:36 PM	#2
nxttruck2002 Scooby Specialist Member#: 90879 Join Date: Jul 2005 Chapter/Region: TXIC Location: Houston, Texas	I'm not sure if this will help you out, but here it is anyways. There is some good information in this thread. http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=951522

03-18-2006, 04:43 PM	#3
HonduHunter Scooby Guru Member#: 28408 Join Date: Oct 2002 Chapter/Region: TXIC Location: San Antonio, Tx Vehicle: 2002 vf48ed WRX OBP	well you will go to court and see a judge. now...you have some options: 1) pay the fine. it will go on your driving reocrd 2) Defensive Driving, take the course and your ticket will not go on your record. you can rent the video, go to a funny class, or i belive you can even take the class online. 3) deferred adjudication... kind of like a probation. you will pay a fine but, all you have to do is not get a ticket in the time set by the judge and the ticket is gone. i am currently on this system now and i only had to be good for 30 days. i hope this helps!

03-18-2006, 04:45 PM	#4
Remy E. LeBeau Scooby Specialist Member#: 4714 Join Date: Mar 2001	Alright, thanks guys....

03-18-2006, 05:04 PM	#6
Tanj! Scooby Specialist Member#: 9339 Join Date: Aug 2001 Chapter/Region: TXIC Location: Dallas, Texas Vehicle: 2005 Forester XT 80, 86, 87, and 88 RX-7	I'd suggest get a traffic lawyer and be done with it.

03-18-2006, 05:16 PM	#7
SVT Amateur Scooby Newbie Member#: 91310 Join Date: Jul 2005 Chapter/Region: TXIC Location: Tyler, TX Vehicle: 2015 STI Limited Ice Silver Metallic	^^ Yeah, I paid $275 for my last ticket and got deferred adjudication as well, but had the lawyer take care of it. I didn't have to go downtown, pay for parking, or do anything like that. I just gave the lawyer my CC# over the phone and they took care of the rest. I just got another ticket and will most likely be doing the same thing again.

03-18-2006, 05:22 PM	#8
Remy E. LeBeau Scooby Specialist Member#: 4714 Join Date: Mar 2001	so who do i call? some random lawyer? How do I go about finding a lawyer and what not?

03-18-2006, 05:56 PM	#10
Remy E. LeBeau Scooby Specialist Member#: 4714 Join Date: Mar 2001	Will they deal with San Antonio Issues?

03-18-2006, 06:19 PM	#11
nxttruck2002 Scooby Specialist Member#: 90879 Join Date: Jul 2005 Chapter/Region: TXIC Location: Houston, Texas	Oh I didnt see you were in SA (for some reason I assume everyone in TXIC is in Houston. lol). I'm really not sure if they will deal with cases in SA. I'm pretty sure SA also has some cheap lawyers...

03-18-2006, 08:22 PM	#12
DanzBorin Subaru Bounty Hunter Moderator Member#: 7131 Join Date: Jun 2001 Chapter/Region: TXIC Location: Houston - Downtown Julie Brown Vehicle: 2015 Outback - Croc Dundee Edition Ice Silver	Usually, within a week or two of getting a ticket, as long as the address on your license is current, you will start receiving solicitations from traffic lawyers. Most of them can do just as good a job as any other one. I have no idea about San Antonio lawyers, as I am also in Houston. But I do have plenty of experience with tickets!!! catnotrob P.S. You should also update your "region tag" in your profile to TXIC so you can represent!

03-18-2006, 10:39 PM	#14
xixco Scooby Newbie Member#: 93827 Join Date: Aug 2005 Chapter/Region: TXIC Location: FtW, TX Vehicle: 2009 Forester Dark Gray Metallic	since no one else has mentioned this: even if you go with Defensive Driving Course, you still pay a fee of sorts to the court, on top of whatever you're having to pay for the DD course. (i think mine was $20, but i honestly don't remember exactly, since it was 3 or 4 years ago) after having dealt with 2 different tickets 2 different times 2 different ways (1st DD, 2nd deferred adjudimacation), i'm pretty damn sure that next time (heaven forbid) i'm going the lawyer route, as it is WAAAAAAY cheaper and easier.

03-19-2006, 12:39 AM	#17
Wheeler Bement Scooby Specialist Member#: 15652 Join Date: Feb 2002 Chapter/Region: TXIC Location: sugar land, katy Vehicle: 2002 2.5L WRX Wag. 160K club	what can a traffic lawyer do that we as individuals can't do? IT can;t be that hard to file papers...I mean, do we have no stroke since we don't have a law degree? I just got a ticket(62/40) in sugar land friday night, thinking about the lawyer, but having delt with sugar land in the past, they didn't like to reduce fines. so take this $30 court cost plus $20 dollar DD to dismiss a $250 ticket with a grain of salt. it all depends on the judge.