Well, just got a speeding ticket from the Lancaster Police for doing 85mph on
I-20 on Thursday April 13th ( should have known it would be a bad day ).
Anyway, gave the officier my drivers license and CHL permit and advised him
that I had a weapon in my vehicle, he said "no problem" and handed my CHL back.
I was a little shocked as I expected a little more, like get out of the vehicle, etc.

Since this is only my second ticket, the first was in 1972, I'm a little confused
as what I should be doing.  I was speeding and I'm going to pay.

Questions are:

How will this affect my CHL since I have to re-new in December?

What does deferred Adjudication mean?

How long will this stay on my record?

Do I have to take a defensive driving course ?


Any help is appreciated.

I'm pretty sure you have two pretty easy options.

The first being the deferral. You pay the ticket in full, and if you don't get another ticket within 90 days it doesn't stick on your record.

The second being taking the DD course. I haven't ever done this one, but I'm pretty sure you have to pay the ticket and the fee for the class. Then it doesn't stick on your record.

You can't do that for every ticket, but once every year or two years you can do it.

Defered adjudication means if you get no more tickets for 3-6 months you get the ticket off your record for insurance purposes.  The only effect they will have is for LE jobs where its still considered a conviction, but notr for any thing else.  It has no effect on your CHL. You should do the Texas defensive driving that you get to do once each year to get an automatic deffered and the ticket dismissed that way you dont have it on your driving record for insurance. DO NOT just pay the ticket.  It costs more in insurance in the long run.

For legal purposes the defensive driving and deffereal are the ame thing.  If you can get deffered without DD then do that as the DD is a waste and you can save it for a jurisdiction where they ont allow defferals if you get another ticket this year.  Many areas FORCE you to take the DD if you have not taken it yet.  Still others force you to take a DD course for conditions of your defferal. Id just call the court and ask what your options are.

Quoted: Well, just got a speeding ticket from the Lancaster Police for doing 85mph on I-20 on Thursday April 13th .... Questions are: How will this affect my CHL since I have to re-new in December? What does deferred Adjudication mean? How long will this stay on my record? Do I have to take a defensive driving course ? Any help is appreciated.

 Ouch, 20 mph over will be expensive, it might be cheaper to choose defensive driving.  The Lancaster court clerk should be able to tell you over the phone what you need to do.  Choosing this method will keep the ticket off your record and you will be able to use the DDC certificate to get a discount on your insurance.

 If you just go and pay the ticket, it will remain on your driver's record forever.  But, insurance companies will only use it against you for 3 years.  I have a feeling that paying the ticket will cost over $200.  My last one was 26 over and cost a bit over $300.

 mm

 Follow the instructions for the deferred adjudication.  Not on record and you can speed again in 3-6 months....

Read the fine print for the Deferred Adjudication. Most of them are true DA, and the DA is dismissed, so it is like you never got it. You are not convicted. But a lot of insurance companies are wise to this and treat a DA as a conviction even though legally you were never even prosecuted, much less convicted of anything.

A traffic citation has nothing to do with a CHL.

Call the court where the citation was issued. There should be a number listed on the citation, maybe on the back of it. Call them and they will give you your options. Defensive Driving is not mandatory per se but gives you a way out of having the citation on your driving record.

Ticket Fu

Were it me, I would plead not guilty and request a jury trial, but thats just me.

Jim Lollar, attorney

Many thanks for all the info.  Not planning to
speed soon.

Quoted: Read the fine print for the Deferred Adjudication. Most of them are true DA, and the DA is dismissed, so it is like you never got it. You are not convicted. But a lot of insurance companies are wise to this and treat a DA as a conviction even though legally you were never even prosecuted, much less convicted of anything.

What insurance companies are this?  A DA does not go on your state record.  There is nothing they can get hold of to see that you had a DA in state records that are public.