Speeding Tickets Archives - 636 Traffic Law

Traffic Tickets And The Missouri Driver Improvement Program…

01FebJanuary 27, 2021 By Charles Moore

TRAFFIC TICKETS AND THE MISSOURI DRIVER IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

Over the last few years, more and more municipalities are making the resolution of traffic tickets by clients to first complete the Missouri Driver Improvement Program, or “DIP”.

As a careless driving traffic ticket attorney St. Peters, I am very familiar with all the workings of the various municipal courts in St. Charles County. The traditional system where prosecutors were amenable to reducing tickets to non-moving violations in exchange for a fine has been heavily scrutinized.

Most of this scrutiny has been negative and as a result changes have been made.

The Missouri Supreme Court now caps how much some municipalities in and around the St. Louis area can charge drivers for traffic ticket fines. And they also cap the percentage of revenue for a town that can come from court fines.

One effect this has had for a traffic ticket St. Charles are lower fines but prosecutors requiring some action by the driver to show improvement. More and more, we are seeing a requirement that our clients complete the Missouri Driver Improvement Program.

Sometimes we are seeing that the prosecutor allow an amendment to a non-moving violation with no points (which keeps your insurance premiums lower) after the driver shows completion of the program. And in other cases, the program must be completed before the prosecutor will even offer an amendment.

This eight (8) hour program is essentially a defense driving class with information about how to avoid a DWI charge, how to safely share the road, rights-of-way, speeding, blind spots and tailgating. It also discusses the dangers of texting and driving and other forms of distracted drivers.

It can be taken online and the cost ranges from $12 to $30 depending on the approved provider you use.

In some cases, the Missouri Driver Improvement Program is used by traffic ticket attorney near me to lessen more serious charges that may not otherwise be amended. In other words, lawyers sometimes use the availability of the program proactively to get a better outcome for their clients. Our office has used this tactic many times with consistent success.

The DIP class must not only be court approved by you must receive a passing score of 70% or better. Once completed, the proof of completion is usually forwarded to the court. You can also contact your insurance agent to find out if completing the court can ensure your insurance rates will stay the same, regardless of the outcome of your case.

Here is a link to the course: http://missourisafetycenter.com

Missouri Traffic Tickets: Our Process

28JulJuly 21, 2020 By Charles Moore

MISSOURI TRAFFIC TICKETS: OUR PROCESS

Traffic Ticket Center in St. Charles County, Missouri can assist you with your St. Peters speeding ticket or St. Peters traffic ticket.

We are highly experienced in helping clients with traffic violations in all areas of Missouri, including: Kansas City, St. Louis, Mid-Missouri, Northwest Missouri, Northeast Missouri, Southeast Missouri, Southwest Missouri and Missouri Highway Patrol.

HOW IT WORKS

GET A QUOTE

First, call our office to provide your contact information, your traffic ticket number, the violation, and the city or county where you received your ticket so we can provide you with a quote.

HIRE AN ATTORNEY

Once we know more specifics about your situation, we will provide you with your options. You can hire us at our office or over the telephone. Convenience and speed are major positives of hiring our firm to represent you.

WE CONTACT THE PROSECUTOR

When you give us your consent to proceed, we will begin by entering a “Not Guilty” plea on your behalf. We will notify the prosecutor of all facts in your favor. Are you a good driver? Are you a good citizen? In the military? Was the weather bad that day? Were you having a bad day? Our job is to present you as a person rather than a name on a piece of paper. We put your best foot forward which can often make a huge difference in the disposition of the case (how the case is resolved).

NEGOTIATING A RESOLUTION

Next, the attorney will negotiate with the Prosecutor to amend the charges against you. The goal is to avoid accumulation of points on your license which also avoids an increase in insurance rates. Some cases are much harder to negotiate with than others. For example, if you get a speeding ticket for driving 45 in a 30 mph zone that’s one thing. However, 75 in a 30 mph zone is a different story. Luckily, we know that there are alternative sentencing options out there. For example, for high speed, prosecutors will often reduce the ticket to a non-moving violation (what you want) if you complete a Driver Improvement Program (DIP).

SUBMIT PLEA & PAYMENT TO THE COURT

Once we receive an amended charge from the Prosecution, we will call you and discuss the process moving forward. Payment of fines can often be done via credit card or check. You will have to pay your fine and enter your guilty plea to the amended charge.

CONCLUSION

I’ve practiced law in California and New Jersey and I can tell you that the process for traffic ticket attorney is much different in those states than here. St. Louis is particularly unique even in Missouri. Nevertheless this is the system we have. But, most of that system works to your favor. It’s much cheaper here to resolve tickets, you often don’t even need to meet with your lawyer and you will almost never need to go to court unless your charged with a serious matter like a DWI.

Traffic Ticket center can assist you with your traffic ticket as well as DWI’s, alcohol and drug offenses and general criminal defense. Call us today at (636) 486-2669.

Five Myths About Traffic Tickets…

29JunJune 11, 2020 By Charles Moore

FIVE MYTHS ABOUT TRAFFIC TICKETS

As a traffic ticket lawyer St. Peters, I work with clients to resolve their traffic tickets in the best way possible. Over the years, as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney, I have noticed several myths about traffic tickets.

Here are five:

“IF THE COP WRITES THE DATE WRONG ON THE TICKET OR MISSPELLS MY NAME, THE TICKET IS INVALID.”

This is a common myth that the officer giving you the speeding ticket O’Fallon must write all the information perfectly or it’s not valid. This is untrue. Here is why: no one is perfect and if there was ever a trial over the prosecutor can call the officer as a witness and have him clarify the incorrect information. In other words, you don’t get a traffic ticket thrown out for ticky tack errors by the officer.

“THE OFFICER SAID HE CAUGHT ME SPEEDING USING RADAR BUT HE REFUSED TO SHOW ME THE READ OUT SO THE TICKET IS INVALID.”

A couple of times a year we get people calling claiming they want the ticket thrown out because they were never shown the radar readout when they requested it at the time they were pulled over. An officer does not have to show your speed on the radar device for the ticket to be valid. Now, if there was a trial, the prosecutor will have to question the officer on the stand about calibration and training on the device. However, that doesn’t usually result in a non-conviction for a speeding ticket in St. Peters.

”THE OFFICER FOLLOWED ME INTO ANOTHER TOWN RIGHT BEFORE I PULLED OVER…SINCE THEY DON’T HAVE JURISDICTION WHERE I WAS ACTUALLY PULLED OVER, THE SPEEDING TICKET SHOULD BE THROWN OUT.”

If only this were true. Missouri, similar to most states, have statutes that allow officers to complete a traffic stop for an event that happened in one town, even if the actual place that the car was pulled over is in another town. Now, that doesn’t mean a traffic ticket can be given by a St. Peters officer in say O’Fallon if the site of the violation was in O’Fallon. Officers in one town don’t have original jurisdiction in towns other than the town for which they serve.

“I GOT A SPEEDING TICKET IN ALABAMA ON MY WAY TO FLORIDA. I’M NOT GOING TO PAY IT SINCE I LIVE IN MISSOURI.”

Missouri participates in what is known as the Interstate Compact, which is an agreement between almost all of the states to share DMV information. So if you get a ticket in Alabama but ignore it, you could up with a Missouri suspended license until you resolve the ticket in Alabama. Worse, if you ignore it but the following year get pulled over in Alabama on your way to Florida, you’ll probably be arrested and forced to post bond. Not a good way to start a vacation.

One other quick point on this issue: I often get calls from people that live near out traffic ticket office in St. Peters who want me to resolve out of state tickets. I can’t do it because I am not admitted to practice law in those states. Best thing to do is contact an attorney in the county or city where you were pulled over and see if they can help.

“I WASN’T SPEEDING AND WANT TO TAKE THE MATTER TO TRIAL.”

So it’s not a myth that you can contest a speeding ticket in O’Fallon MO and have a trial. Practically speaking, however, there are two problems: First, many lawyers will not take a speeding ticket case to trial. Second, that’s because it’s generally not financially feasible for clients. The fine for some tickets is under $150.00. You can usually have an attorney get your speeding ticket near reduced to a no point violation (i.e. muffler violation, etc.) by a traffic lawyer for under $150.

Trials are expensive and even if you win, you’re going to spend probably double or triple the amount of the ticket. Principle, as they say, is expensive.

CONCLUSION

Like death and taxes, traffic tickets are a part of life. The municipal court system in and around St. Louis is unique in that citizens can get their tickets amended to no point violations and doing so is highly competitive for lawyers so it’s extremely affordable.

Traffic Ticket Center is located at 4215 S. Old Highway 94 in St. Charles, Missouri. We are located next to the DMV in Harvester. We assist clients with traffic tickets of all kinds, including speeding, careless driving, commercial driving violations, suspended licenses, marijuana charges and DWI / DUI. Call us today for a free consultation. (636) 486-2669.

Speeding Tickets in Missouri…

15JunJune 10, 2020 By Charles Moore

SPEEDING TICKET IN MISSOURI

A basic speeding ticket in Missouri is relatively easy for an experienced attorney to handle. At Traffic Ticket Center, we keep our fees low because a basic speeding ticket in Missouri is a routine procedure that we complete every day at our law office.

Unfortunately, too many people do not contact a traffic ticket attorney St. Peters to handle their ticket. Instead, they pay the fine that is listed on the back of the ticket to be done with it.

However, this can be a costly decision.

WHY YOU SHOULDN’T PLEAD GUILTY

We have several people call to inquire about Missouri speeding tickets each day and after we explain the process and state our fee for our firm to resolve the ticket. We explain that the court will also assess a fine to be paid, which is set by the prosecutor.

Once the potential client hears this, they may take another look at the back of the ticket where it states they can pay the $100 fine now. At this point we try our best to relay the consequences of paying the $100 fine to court as opposed to hiring us.

POINTS ON YOUR LICENSE

When you simply pay the fine listed on the back of your citation, the court accepts this as an admission of guilt or admission to the fact that you were speeding. Once it is recorded that you plead guilty to the charge, the court will pass the information along to Jefferson City where the state will assess points to your permanent driving record. Too many points and you can have your license suspended.

The number of points assessed will vary depending on the severity of the ticket. Here is a link to the various types of violations and the points they carry: https://dor.mo.gov/forms/899.pdf

INCREASED CAR INSURANCE COSTS

Points assessed on your driving record also leads to higher rates for car insurance. The increase in insurance rates is because the insurance company will use the points assessed on your driving record as proof that you disregard traffic laws and are therefore a higher risk to end up in a car accident.

Since the insurance company would have to pay out on your accident, they can use the points as an excuse to increase your rates to compensate for the added risk. Also, insurance companies will search for any excuse to increase your rates. It’s good business for them and tough luck for you.

It’s important to understand too that in recent years, you may have noticed that your insurance rates are increasing every year anyway, no matter how good of a driver you are.

Why is that? Because of the increase in serious accidents involving texting and driving and distracted driving. Therefore, it’s more important than ever to minimize already expensive insurance rates by avoiding taking points on your license.

DON’T LIKE GOING TO COURT? YOU WON’T HAVE TO

A major advantage of hiring a traffic ticket lawyer St. Peters to handle your ticket is that in most cases, you’ll never need to attend court. That saves you from having to take off work for a morning or afternoon court appearance, or having to waste an evening wasting for hours with everyone else. If your time is valuable to you, hiring us will save you that valuable time.

CONCLUSION

When you hire an experienced attorney to handle the ticket, they will work with the local prosecuting attorney to get the ticket reduced from a moving violation to a non-moving violation. A non-moving violation does not result in points on your record and therefor will not lead to an increase in insurance rates.

Traffic Ticket Center has resolved hundreds of tickets for clients over the years and our goal is to keep your record clean and your insurance rates down.

Call us at (636) 486-2669 to learn more.

12DecDecember 12, 2019 By Charles Moore

FIVE MYTHS ABOUT TRAFFIC TICKETS

Here are five:

“IF THE COP WRITES THE DATE WRONG ON THE TICKET OR MISSPELLS MY NAME, THE TICKET IS INVALID.”

“THE OFFICER SAID HE CAUGHT ME SPEEDING USING RADAR BUT HE REFUSED TO SHOW ME THE READ OUT SO THE TICKET IS INVALID.”

Now, if there was a trial, the prosecutor will have to question the officer on the stand about calibration and training on the device. However, that doesn’t usually result in a non-conviction for a traffic ticket St. Peters.

”THE OFFICER FOLLOWED ME INTO ANOTHER TOWN RIGHT BEFORE I PULLED OVER…SINCE THEY DON’T HAVE JURISDICTION WHERE I WAS ACTUALLY PULLED OVER, THE SPEEDING TICKET SHOULD BE THROWN OUT.”

Now, that doesn’t mean a traffic ticket can be given by a St. Peters officer in say O’Fallon if the site of the violation was in O’Fallon. Officers in one town don’t have original jurisdiction in towns other than the town for which they serve.

“I GOT A SPEEDING TICKET IN ALABAMA ON MY WAY TO FLORIDA. I’M NOT GOING TO PAY IT SINCE I LIVE IN MISSOURI.”

Worse, if you ignore it but the following year get pulled over in Alabama on your way to Florida, you’ll probably be arrested and forced to post bond. Not a good way to start a vacation.

“I WASN’T SPEEDING AND WANT TO TAKE THE MATTER TO TRIAL.”

So it’s not a myth that you can contest a speeding ticket O’Fallon and have a trial. Practically speaking, however, there are two problems: First, many lawyers will not take a speeding ticket case to trial. Second, that’s because it’s generally not financially feasible for clients. The fine for some tickets is under $150.00. You can usually have an attorney get your speeding ticket near reduced to a no point violation (i.e. muffler violation, etc.) by a traffic lawyer St. Peters for under $150.

Trials are expensive and even if you win, you’re going to spend probably double or triple the amount of the ticket.

CONCLUSION

Traffic Ticket Center is located at 4215 S. Old Highway 94 in St. Charles, Missouri. We are right next to the DMV in Harvester. We assist clients with traffic tickets of all kinds, including speeding, careless driving, commercial driving violations, suspended licenses, marijuana charges and DWI / DUI. Call us today for a free consultation. (636) 486-2669.

FCC Speeding Tickets in Missouri…

29Jun By Charles Moore

FCC Speeding Tickets in Missouri

If you receive a speeding ticket in Missouri from a Missouri Highway patrol officer, the ticket will state that it is an FCC ticket. FCC means “Fine Collection” Center, and it is located in Jefferson City. On an FCC ticket, instead of a court date to resolve the speeding ticket, the ticket will state “due in 30 days”.

Even though there is no court date listed, you can still resolve the ticket with a St. Charles traffic lawyer in the circuit court of the county where the ticket was received. The process works much the same as any speeding ticket received in a Missouri municipal court. You can hire our firm to represent you and seek a no-points amendment to avoid paying higher insurance premiums and getting points on your license.

As with regular speeding tickets, pleading guilty will result in having those points on your license. If you receive too many points, your license can be suspended. And when you plead guilty, your insurance premiums are likely to go up because the insurance company will see the guilty plea and decide you are more expensive to insure.

Keep in mind that not all county prosecutors will amend FCC tickets to non-moving violations (no point tickets). In St. Charles County and surrounding counties, prosecutors will amend these tickets. However, in some rural counties, they will not. You can call our office and we can advise you on your particular ticket at no charge.

If you hire Traffic Ticket Center, we can work with the prosecutor to amend your FCC speeding ticket so you can avoid paying more for insurance and risk losing your ability to drive.

Call us today at (636) 486-2669 for assistance. We can quote you the cost for the ticket and give you more information on how we can help you.

Traffic Tickets 101: Municipal Court versus Circuit Court…

12Jun By Charles Moore

TRAFFIC TICKETS 101: MUNICIPAL COURT V. CIRCUIT COURT

If you are pulled over in Missouri for a traffic ticket, your case could be heard either in a Missouri municipal court or a Missouri circuit court.

What’s the difference? A municipal court is the court where a town or city enforces their own municipal ordinances. A circuit court is where the state of Missouri enforces its own statutes.

At the bottom of every ticket where the officer can state select whether the violation is of a local ordinance or state law.

When a person speeds say in O’Fallon, Missouri, that speeding ticket is both a violation of a local O’Fallon ordinance prohibiting speeding and of Missouri state law. However, revenue from fines and court costs goes to O’Fallon if it is charged as an ordinance violation and to the state of Missouri if charged as a state law violation.

If you are caught speeding on the highway by a Missouri State Highway Patrol officer or in an unincorporated part of a county by a sheriff’s deputy, both of those tickets are codes as state law violations to be heard at the circuit court in the county where the violation occurred.

If you have a prior offense like a DWI, it likely will be heard in circuit court because of the level of seriousness. That is another factor in determining which court will hear your case.

Generally speaking, it is better to be in municipal court than state circuit court. Municipal prosecutors are much more likely to amend a ticket in exchange for a fine. That can happen at the circuit court too, but often prosecutors are much more reluctant to amend charges or to not attach some period of probation if the charge is serious enough.

Traffic Ticket Center is your traffic ticket lawyer for violations in St. Peters, O’Fallon, Wentzville, Cottleville and St. Charles. We can help you understand how your particular circumstances might differ if you are charged in state circuit court versus a local municipal court.

Remember, you should always hire a traffic ticket lawyer to help you avoid rising insurance premiums and points on your license. Pleading guilty to moving violations can lead to both and affect your ability to drive and to drive affordably.

Can I Remove Points From My Record After Pleading Guilty to a Speeding Ticket in Missouri?

24JanJanuary 24, 2017 By Charles Moore

Can I Remove Points From My Record After Pleading Guilty to a Speeding Ticket in Missouri?

That depends.

In some counties in Missouri, particularly the rural ones, prosecutors will often not reduce a speeding ticket to a non-moving violation. If you plead guilty in that case, you might be able to take a class called the Driver Improvement Program (DIP) in Missouri. If you are eligible, taking the class will remove the points from your record. The judge has to approve your taking the class and it must be completed within 60 days after a guilty plea.

Now here’s the catch. Even if you take the class, the points will be taken off your record but the conviction for speeding can and will show up on your driving record. That means your insurance company will probably still increase your rates.

Remember, in Missouri if you get eight points on your Missouri driving record within 18 months your license is suspended for 30 days. Your license will be revoked for a year if you get 12 points within 12 months.

That is why DIP could be really important for you if you already have several points on your driver’s record.

Here is a link for more information about the Driver Improvement Program in Missouri: https://www.courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=1940