09 Jul Is it Worth Fighting a Traffic Ticket?
When you get a traffic ticket for speeding or running a stop sign, you can easily pay it, but you wonder whether it is worth fighting the ticket. You might be able to get it reduced or thrown out altogether. In some cases, it can be worth it to fight. However, it is not always the easiest or fastest thing to deal with. In the long run, you may end up losing more money on wasted time. Before you decide, evaluate the pros and cons, including how disruptive it could be to your daily routine and how much you have to gain or lose financially. You need to look at not only your ticket, but your insurance premiums that could increase due to the ticket.
You can get out of paying for a traffic ticket if you show up for court, but the officer does not. This results in an automatic win for you because you are being denied the right to question your accuser.
If you postpone your court date and even choose one close to the holidays, you could be increasing your chances on having a no-show from the officer. Officers tend to schedule all their court appearances on the same days so they can do them all at once. If you can get the date moved, you could be in luck. If you get a date close to a major holiday, there is a chance the officer is off on vacation. The officer also may not show up for court if your ticket is inexpensive and is for a very low-level incident.
If you get a ticket based on camera footage, the ticket can get dismissed if the court does not have the video or picture. The courthouse may not want to go through the trouble of acquiring that video footage which means you win and do not have to pay the ticket.