Traffic tickets are unexpected and can be confusing, and like mosquitos, they can be annoying. They can blemish a clean driving record or be the nail in the coffin for a driver with points on his driver’s license. The looming question every driver asks who has received a traffic infraction or traffic violation is, how do I make a traffic ticket go away?
The truth is, every rarely will a traffic offense “go away,” but there are different ways to handle a traffic violation. Some ways involve going to court and others avoid court altogether. The ways to resolve a traffic ticket in New York State are:
- To plead guilty
- To plead not guilty and go to trial
- To plea bargain
- Be accepted into and complete a Traffic Diversion Program
Plead Guilty. To plead guilty means to fill out the section of the ticket that indicates you are guilty of the accused violation and mail or return the ticket to the court in person. If you mail the ticket to the court with your guilty plea, the court will mail you a fine notice. If you return the ticket to the court in person, you will likely have to pay the fine the same day. After paying the fine, the points associated with the infraction will accrue to your driving history.
Plead Not Guilty And Go To Trial. After notifying the court of your not guilty plea you will have an opportunity to plea bargain your ticket (see below discussion). If you reject the plea bargain, your traffic ticket case will be set for trial. At trial you will have a chance to present your case of innocence. A Judge will decide whether you are guilty or not guilty of the traffic violation. Upon being found guilty, points associated with the violation will be added to your driving history. When found not guilty, no points accumulate to your record.
Plea Bargain. Subsequent to pleading not guilty, the court will issue a date and time for you to appear in court. At that time, you will have an opportunity to plea bargain or negotiate a lesser offense with a police officer or the prosecutor. After an agreement is reached, the Judge will “okay” or put the Court’s stamp of approval on the negotiated agreement. Points may amass to your driving abstract, depending on the lesser charge agreed to.
Traffic Diversion Program. Some courts offer a Traffic Diversion Program. There are requirements and a fee associated with the Program. Being accepted into the Diversion Program is the ideal way to handle a traffic ticket. This is because after having completed the Program, the court will dismiss your ticket – it will be as if the ticket was never written. It will never show on your driving record, you will not accrue an points, nor will your auto insurance increase – big pay off for an investment of your time and nominal Program fee.
Deciding the best way to make your traffic ticket go away depends on the totality of your circumstances. The Claro Law Firm has handled thousands of traffic ticket cases and offers a free traffic consultation. The Claro Law Firm serves all of New York State including Westchester County cities, towns and villages – Pelham, Tuckahoe, Hartsdale and Hawthorne, to name a few. Consult with us today before you make a costly mistake: 917-300-3334 or online at www.lawredress.com.