questions & answers

Question: Hi, I am a graduate student who just completed my PhD in Neuroscience. I recently received my first ever speeding ticket in Arizona for excessive speeding. It is called a criminal speeding ticket. I have an otherwise clean driving record. The speeding ticket was issued at a moment of non focus and I was not consistently driving at the high speed. I cannot afford to hire a lawyer and am worried about a conviction. Also, I live out of state and am applying for permanent residency. Can you adivse me about pleading guilty to such a charge or help with hiring an attorney.

Answer: This is general information. For an assessment of how the following information applies to your case, an attorney should be consulted. When you do appear before the judge, you have three options: (1) Plead guilty. If you choose to plead guilty, you are admitting that you committed the infraction for which you were ticketed. (2) Plead not guilty. This means that you are denying you committed the charge(s) against you. The Court will give you a trial or pre-trial date. If you choose this route, you have rights as a defendant. Click here for a list of your rights as criminal traffic defendant. (3) Plead no contest. Under this plea, you are neither admitting nor denying the charges against you and are telling the court that you do not intend to contest the charges. The penalty may be the same as a guilty plea. The judge may consider an explanation before imposing a fine or penalty. Certain courts do allow defendants in some criminal traffic cases to enter pleas by mail or videophone link. If you want or need to use this option, you must call or write to the Justice Court as soon as possible after receiving your ticket. (http://justicecourts.maricopa.gov/CaseTypes/traffic.aspx#criminal)