Virginia Beach Speeding Ticket Trials

In Virginia, all speeding tickets are considered pre-payable, meaning, an individual does not have to appear in court for this specific traffic offense. However, Virginia Beach speeding ticket trials are at the discretion of the person accused, as they have a right to challenge the accusation against them. Reckless driving tickets, however, cannot be prepaid and that person is expected to appear in court. As an experienced speeding ticket lawyer knows, if the individual does not appear they run the risk of being tried in their absence. If the speed associated with the charge is particularly high, the judge can have the accused brought into court.

Expectations for Speeding Ticket Trials

If someone is over 18, Virginia Beach speeding ticket trials are heard in General District Court. If they are under 18, the speeding trial will be heard in the Juvenile Court. The court will call their case after appearing and they will then be asked to enter a plea to the court. Following a plea, the individual proceeds to trial. The Police Officer will testify before having the opportunity to ask the judge questions and present any evidence they have prepared.

Who Typically Appears for Traffic Court Appearances?

People who live out of town tend to not appear for Virginia Beach speeding ticket trials because it may cost them time and money to travel back to where they were stopped. People who drive for a living and their employment is dependent on keeping this ticket off their record tend to appear for court more often. The higher the speed, the more likely the accused will be required to appear for court. Appearance in court may be required in some jurisdictions and some speeds on reckless driving.

Who is Involved in a Speeding Ticket Hearing?

The arresting police officer, the judge and an attorney for the accused are typically involved in Virginia Beach speeding ticket trials. In this area of Virginia, prosecutors in the District Court are not involved in speeding ticket traffic cases. Most of the time, prosecutors are not involved in reckless driving tickets. A prosecutor for the Commonwealth of Virginia could be involved in cases involving a speeding accusation of more than a 100 miles an hour.

Responding to Reckless Driving and Speeding Charges

Often, reckless driving charges are administered in the form of a speeding ticket as a misdemeanor. The police have the option to arrest someone for these charges. However, an arrest for speeding often does not occur unless the person is traveling an extremely high rate such as an excess of 100 miles an hour. There are certain jurisdictions where the driver is arrested instead of being given a summons for their speeding ticket.

A potentially helpful response to prepare for Virginia Beach speeding ticket trials is to ascertain what evidence that supports an argument for innocence. It is very difficult for people to contest speeding ticket on the grounds that the officer’s equipment was wrong without the help of an attorney. Therefore, speak with legal counsel before heading to trial to better prepare.