Should I Fight A Traffic Ticket In Missouri? Chris Combs, lawyer with Missouri’s leading traffic ticket law firm Combs Waterkotte, talks about how and when to fight a traffic ticket, and why you shouldn’t try to go about it alone.
Interview Transcript
Scott Michael Dunn: –speaking of being in front of a judge, well, let’s talk about pleas and fighting a traffic ticket.
Should I fight the ticket or just pay it?
Chris Combs: Well, obviously, as I mentioned earlier, you never want to just pay a traffic ticket, because that’s pleading guilty. So again, if you just pay the fine and mail it in, you’re entering a plea of guilt to speeding, and you’re taking the points.
So, as far as fighting a traffic ticket: You know, we don’t have jury trials on traffic tickets. I mean, most people don’t want to pay to have us depose an officer and break down all the data of whatever radar he was using. But there’s so many things we can do to get it down to a non-moving, no-point violation, to where you can – you will still pay a fine, but there’s no other collateral consequences.
Scott Michael Dunn: So, can you get into more detail about whether or not I should just pay the ticket or should I fight it? I mean, is there differentiating between when is the right time to do that?
Chris Combs: Well, you always want to “fight it,” because again, if you just pay it, your entering a plea of guilt. And as Andrew said, you could be entering a plea of guilt to a misdemeanor.
I mean, it doesn’t mean you’re going to jail, but that creates points on your driving record that are likely going to be on there for quite some time – many, many years. And a criminal conviction. Even though it’s traffic, you may not know it’s a B misdemeanor.
Anytime in Missouri you’re going 26 miles or more over the speed limit, that’s a B misdemeanor, that’s the same level offense as a first offense DWI.
Scott Michael Dunn: Wow.
Chris Combs: It’s serious. So if you’re going 26 or more, that’s a B misdemeanor, and you’d be, in my opinion, foolish not to have an attorney guiding you through that and to keep points off your record and a conviction off your criminal record.
If you’ve got a traffic ticket are looking to protect your license (plus your wallet), contact Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP or reach out online for a free case review. You can also upload a picture of your ticket below:
