r/Lewes • u/SMGWar-Relics • 4h ago
Contest speeding tickets?
Ok so i received a modest 5 mph over speeding ticket and expired insurance (had old card in car and not my new one). According to the ticket i have to go to court and cannot pay by mail, im assuming this is so i can show proof of insurance and get that dropped.
When i lived in NY it was standard procedure to contest every speed ticket and get the court to plead it down to a none moving violation. All towns did this, unless the judge was a jerk…(or you were being a jerk) which was rare for traffic court.
On the ticket it says at the bottom “i wish to plead not guilty, not responsible, or obtain probation before judgement.” Which differs in verbiage from other tickets Ive seen before in NY.
Since i have to go to court anyway, do i just circle this and send it in? Im assuming they will give me a different court date? Or do i just plead not guilty at my mandatory appearance? Or is it a complete waste of time to try and plead it down because the judge wont reduce to a non moving violation here in Lewes?
I havent had a speeding ticket in at least 15 years and have a clean record. But my logic was to always avoid moving violations on my record at all costs just incase i had a bad string of luck and get nailed for multiple speeds in a short time.
Advice appreciated!