Your usual Legal thread.


Have a friend in VA - Got a reckless ticket for speeding in YORK courts. He went to the court date, the judge saw his two improper driving tickets from over 2 years ago. They were reduction tickets (were reckless reduced), and the judge knew this. Gave him Reckless, $100.00 fine.

Here's the question:
If he appeals, what are the chances of the charge being worse? Is it worth it to appeal?

I recommended that he appeals, I had good luck when I lived in Virginia appealing and feel he would as well, but I'd like to run a vote here, just to see what the driven comrades think.

 

I'd be pretty happy with a 100 dollar fine for a reckless driving in York County. I got fined $325 there several years ago for reckless driving.

 

Yeah, take the $100 reckless and run. I managed to get out of a reckless about 8-9 years ago in Roanoke cause I had a good story, but the judge fined me like $250.

Why do you or your friend think he should appeal?

 

I vote to appeal because it's not just the $100 fine, but it's also the huge hike in insurance for the next ~5 years. And I'd keep appealing until it got sent to circuit court, where he'd be the only traffic offender there and it'd most likely be dropped to a lesser charge, because the judges there don't really care about the traffic offenses.

 

yup blah, I'm wiht you on this one. THIS is why i think he should appeal, plus...when I got my reckless, it was during that insane time where it was mandatory 2000.00 in fines...So my only chance at the time WAS to appeal. So I did and it worked just fine.

That's what I would recommend too, Keep on appealing and then it will be dropped in my opinion. I got sent to circuit court the first time.

 

What I know now from my past tickets I received, I should have appealed every single one and probably could have had a lesser/dropped charge.


APPEAL IT AT ALL COST!!!

 

So your friend has 3 reckless tickets total, and lucked out on the first two being reduced. A judge gives him the full title (reckless) but only a $100 fine? Why the fuck would you appeal it?

 

For the exact reasons Blah Posted.

Chance of it going even lower. No insurance rates raised...plus he's trying to join the FBI...so background is important.

 

I'm going with this. I would be ticked if i was an appeals judge and saw someone trying to pull that crap. learn a lesson and slow down, it's obvious the 1st two times didn't do it for him...maybe a little money out of pocket is the only way he will learn.

 

I agree with the learn your lesson theory, however to shed more light

first two tickets he had were for burning rubber and stuff ...muscle cars...

this was just an accident, on a road on way home.

not that he doesn't deserve the ticket, theoretically, but I do not believe it should haunt him for years. Anyway, that's a belief and opinion.

I was not trying to get into the emotional side of it. just wanted to know if you thought it was worth it to appeal or not.
Regardless, this opinion is likely what a judge would think, well, some judges...so I do value your input anyway.