Hello neighbors! Georgia neighbor here looking for recommendations dealing with a traffic ticket. Hoping someone on here may have experience or suggestions on dealing with a speeding ticket in Newville. On our way down to Florida from Georgia, in the city of Newville Alabama, in Henry County, I received a ticket going 84 on a 65. I have a clean record, no points, last ticket was 15+ years ago and it was dismissed. Any suggestions on how this should be handled? Pay the ticket, traffic school, hire a local attorney?  Any recommendations on a local attorney to handle the ticket? TIA

I’d show up and see what offer the DA has for you. Ask to speak with them before it goes before the judge.

Oftentimes they will work with you to drop it from your record in exchange for court costs and traffic school.  Especially if it’s something like aggravated speeding when you have a clean record.  

Show up in a suit, be contrite, honest and professional.  You’ll be way ahead of the clowns in ragged t-shirts, pajamas and wife beaters. No guarantees but not being a loser goes a long way in court over minor stuff.

If you need an atty just IM me. Happy to help, but I think that you’ll have as much success as going there yourself. Your call. Good luck sir.

Ticket clinic works for a lot of people.

Just my opinion based on on 30 years of LE experience and having to sit through traffic court (I hated it...unless the violator punched me in the face or called my momma names, I didn't care if the prosecutor dismissed the tickets as long as it kept me from having to attend the circus that is traffic court).

What's the cost difference between paying the fine/court costs, hiring an attorney, or driving back to court to contest the ticket (not sure where in GA you live)? Not having any tickets on your record now and if you don't routinely get them, it's likely your insurance won't hike your rate and the points from this one won't have any affect on your license.

If you do decide to go to court, don't wear a suit...just wear some decent jeans/slacks with a polo shirt tucked in. If you show up to traffic court, especially in a small podunk town, in a suit you're going to appear that you have the time/money/determination to "fight this thing" (especially if you had to travel a considerable distance to get there). Just show up looking like a respectable, regular Joe that's got bills to pay, kids to feed, and a wife that likes to shop...not someone that's got the time/money to throw at a ticket they were guilty of (I'm assuming you were actually going 84/60 since you didn't mention anything about being unjustly written a ticket). Speak to the prosecutor beforehand...they'll likely work with you because the more stuff they can clear off their docket, the faster they get to go home. They don't want to go to trial (and "trial" in municpal traffic court is merely you and the prosecutor standing in front of the judge) any more than you do if they can help it...unless the office that wrote the ticket has some type of protest. How was your interaction with the officer?

I’ve never been in a situation in court where dressing up is viewed negatively, but that is just my narrow experience only. It’s all about the conversation with the DA. However, if a 30 year LEO is telling you to dress down, I would defer to his advice on the matter.  

I agree that it’s a question of whether it’s worth the drive. By the time you pay the costs (uncertain if it’ll be dropped) and time taken out of your day, it’s quite the outlay.  Hopefully you don’t work in a sensitive industry where tickets can be a thing, depending on the severity of the charge.