I received a speeding ticket outside Ft. Bragg a couple weeks ago; What options/how can it be reduced?

Here, you have to plead "not guilty" then meet with the DA/ADA (usually at the Court) for what amounts to a plea bargain. In the mean time you request a deposition from the Officer (if it wasn't done at the time of the stop) and an abstract of your driving record from DMV.

This is the first citation I've gotten in well over twenty years, additionally I've operated an Ambulance for all those years and have a spotless CDL.

I'm not going to go into the questionable way it was done out on I-95  

BTW: To date I've gotten 11 "Advertisements for Legal Services" from Attorneys in Fayetteville immediately following this stop...never heard of such a thing.

From what I gather (keeping in mind that I haven't had any citations) that the ADA will look at things such as long term volunteer service in EMS, a spotless record, Certified Emergency vehicle operation, and a professional licenses MIGHT give cause to reduce it in the name of professional courtesy.  Again, this is another State and one that owes nothing to me. (FWIW: I do have some ties to NC, but they're in Western NC)

You can get an attorney and he can get you an improper equipment which wont give you any points on your license here and it should apply to NY as well.  I know an attorney in Cumberland co that got me an improper equip if you need his number.  I can pm it to you.

btw you are going to be bombarded with attorney letters anyway. but the guy I used was a judge at one time.

Send me his number if you would.

You can go to court or have a lawyer represent you and get it reduced to 9 over which still results in 3 DMV and 3 insurance points but if otherwise clean record no insurance increase



Next option is Prayer For Judgement when means not guilty but on probably for 3 years.  No fine, no DMV or insurance points, but still have to pay for court costs



Do the first option and keep the PFJ handy for stuff like a rolling stop, seat belt violation or something



Some courts you won't actually go to court where the officer testifies against you, it'll traffic disposition court, only if you dispute the ticket then at disposition court your case will be continued and then you can dispute your case in front of a judge

Depends on the county. In the one I worked in traffic court was set on Fridays.


That was make-a-deal time. You pled to a reduced charge and left. No lawyers


or officers. Just you and the DA. If you wanted to plead not guilty you went to


regular court. Not sure how Cumberland County works.

Here they set a date to either appear by or send in;  If you appear it's an arraignment where you plead guilty or not; if guilty, you're fined. if not they set another date where the DA/ADA will be there to bargain with, also gives time for a deposition to be delivered...if the deposition isn't delivered by then the case is dismissed.
I don't exactly want to make the trip down there, especially to have to return at a later date....the fine is $30. which isn't all that bad, but that $181. "Court costs" is bullshit, it's the points and record that bothers me the most.....well that and the way the trap was sprung.

What you want to avoid is conviction of a moving violation that will jack the insurance


rates. The fine and costs of court is nothing compared to three years of jacked


insurance rates. When I was in  a non moving violation or speeding of only 9 mph



over and you were good to go. That depends on your past driving record though.

Email sent OP

The whole thing is scam and a sham.  The first time I got a ticket in 2001, I went to court, and when I got up there they said they could lower my 67 in a 55 to 60 and it would only be two points or something like that.  They explained it to me and said it wouldn't effect my insurance or driving record.

When I got another ticket, in 2010, I went to court and the attorney asked what I wanted to do.  I asked if he could tell me my options, like the first one did, and he started completely scowling at me and directed me to some assistant to get a continuance.  I was watching the people go ahead of me, and I could just see him getting his rocks off, when he was "giving them a break" with prayer for judgement, or whatever else they were so inclined to accept from his majesty, and they were all happy and dancing.  I guess I completely intruded on his power trip.

Oh yeah, all those letters you got are from the ambulance chasers.  They get a daily copy of the blotter from the day before and bombard you with offers, hoping you will pick them and pay them to do what you can usually do yourself.  It is funny, because they talk to you like they are doing you a favor because they know someone.  In some cases, I am sure that is true.  But unless you are a habitual speeder, just showing up and asking for "forgiveness" will get you off the hook as far as points and insurance problems.  If you are not local, I imagine your best bet is to just pay the attorneys instead of going through the added expense of coming back and then paying the fees.