New York Traffic Ticket Attorney Blog
No one ever plans on getting a traffic ticket; and to be honest, they are annoying and confusing. They can also blemish a clean driving record or a nail in the coffin for a driver with too many points on his driver’s license. Anyone who has ever gotten a traffic violation has asked: “How do I make a traffic ticket go away?”
The truth is, traffic offense is unlikely to “go away,” but there are different ways to handle or fight 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
To Plead Guilty. To plead guilty means that a driver is not fighting the ticket; he or she is saying, “I did it. Just tell me how much to pay and I’ll pay.” The formal procedure to plead guilty is to notifying the court of such plea. If the ticket is mailed to the court with a guilty plea, the court will mail a fine notice. If the ticket is returned to the court in person, the driver will likely have to pay the fine at the same time. Points associated with the infraction are added to a driving abstract after the fine is paid.
To Plead Not Guilty And Go To Trial. Going to trial means that a driver notified the court of his or her not guilty plea, rejected a plea bargain offer and the case (traffic ticket) was set for trial. At trial the accused will an opportunity to present an argument as to why he or she is not guilty of the traffic offense. A Judge will decide whether a driver is guilty or not guilty of the traffic violation. Upon being found guilty, points associated with the violation will be added to a driving history. When found not guilty, no points accumulate to a driving record.
To Plea Bargain. Subsequent to pleading not guilty, the court will issue a date and time for a driver to appear in court. At that time, he or she will have an opportunity to plea bargain or negotiate a lesser offense with Police Officer or Prosecutor. Once an agreement is reached the Judge will “okay” or put the Court’s stamp of approval on the negotiated agreement. Points may amass to a driving abstract, depending on the lesser charge settled on.
Traffic Diversion Program. Some courts offer a Traffic Diversion Program. There are requirements and a fee associated with the Program. After completing the Program, the court will usually dismiss a traffic ticket.
Deciding the best way to make your traffic ticket go away depends on the totality of your circumstances. If you are looking to save money and reduce or eliminate your traffic ticket points, then let your traffic ticket lawyer, The Claro Law Firm, fight your case. The Claro Law Firm serves all of New York State including Westchester County cities, towns and villages – Pelham, White Plains, and Ardsley. Consult with us today, for FREE, before you make a costly mistake: 917-300-3334 or online at www.lawredress.com.
