How to Plead Not Guilty to a New York Traffic Ticket

No one is happy to receive a traffic ticket, but pleading guilty to your ticket just to put it behind you is rarely advisable. Once you sign your ticket and pay the fine, you are considered guilty. You will accumulate points on your driving record, your insurance premiums will go up, and you could even lose your job.

In extreme cases, a traffic ticket can cause even more issues in your life. You could lose your license, your family life could be impacted, and your finances could take a hard hit. Learning how to plead not guilty to a New York traffic ticket is a valuable undertaking.

What to Do When Pleading Not Guilty for a Traffic Citation in New York

The first step to pleading not guilty to your ticket is to enter your plea and schedule a hearing with the Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB). You can do this by mail, online, or in person at the TVB office.

Once your hearing has been scheduled, the next step is to attend it and attempt to prove your case. You will need to bring evidence that you weren’t guilty of the infraction you’re being accused of. But what kinds of evidence should you bring?

Here are some examples of evidence commonly used to fight New York traffic citations:

• Witness statements
• Photograph or video evidence
• Diagrams of the traffic violation scene
• Any other evidence that proves your case (mechanical evidence that your vehicle wasn’t operating properly at the time of the incident, for instance)

What if you don’t have this kind of evidence? You can still plead not guilty and fight a traffic violation in other ways. For example, your ticket could have missing or invalid information that warrants a dismissal, or the ticketing officer may fail to attend the court hearing.

Need Some Legal Assistance?

Here at the Law Office of James Medows, we understand the fears and worries you have about fighting your traffic violation. A lot of people are scared to go to court, so they end up just pleading guilty and paying the fine, even though it’s not in their best interest to do so. Remember that you always have the right to contest your ticket.

If you need help fighting a traffic violation, simply call an attorney from our office at 917-856-1247. We offer free consultations so you can tell us about your traffic ticket with no obligation to hire us. You can also get in touch by completing the online contact form at the bottom of this page.

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