What To Expect in Ohio Speeding Ticket Court
Your first court appearance is an arraignment. The judge will ask if you have received a copy of the speeding ticket and understand the charge. The judge also will also explain the potential penalties for each offense and then ask for a plea. Prior to going before the judge, you may be able to talk to the prosecutor and negotiate for a reduction in the fine/points.
In Ohio most traffic offenses and Ohio speeding tickets are a minor misdemeanor with a fine of up to $200. However, if you have more than one moving violation within the past 12 months, you may be charged with a more serious misdemeanor offense with the possibility of jail time. Very serious violations, like drunk driving (DUI) and driving under suspension (DUS), are first-degree misdemeanors with very serious penalties.
At the arraignment for your Ohio speeding ticket you can plead guilty, not guilty or no contest. If you plead guilty, the judge will find you guilty. Some judges will reduce the fine/points for a guilty plea, others won't. A plea of no contest means you do not dispute violation but would like the judge to hear your explanation. Basically this is the same as a guilty plea except a plea of no contest cannot be used against you in a civil case. If you plead not guilty, your Ohio speeding ticket will be set for trial at a later date.
In Ohio the law sets out specific time frames for a criminal case to be brought to trial. The range from is from 30 to 180 days for misdemeanors depending on the offense. If you do not object, you have waived your “right to speedy trial.”
Some Ohio courts will schedule a pre-trial hearing. This is an informal conference between you, your Ohio speeding ticket attorney and the prosecutor. Usually you can reach a negotiated reduction is the fine and the violation at this stage since the prosecutor and the officer are not really interested in wasting their time in court on a minor Ohio speeding ticket.
You can hire an Ohio speeding ticket attorney to represent you at any stage of a case. If you cannot afford an attorney, you are not entitled to a court appointed attorney unless the violation is likely to result in jail time. Check with the clerk of court at your arraignment.
Ohio Traffic Ticket Attorney Referrals
Ohio Speeding Ticket Attorney
An Ohio Speeding ticket attorney can represent you at the arraignment and can usually negotiate a reduction in the fine and the violation. Even a minor speeding ticket may result in a major increase in your insurance. In general it is always worth contesting your Ohio speeding ticket.
If you know of an Ohio traffic attorney that should be listed on this page, please click on the link at the top of the page and provide us with his or her contact information.
Ohio Auto Insurance
Despite the calls for tougher enforcement of the speeding laws, traffic accidents and personal injuries are continuing to decline.
This is in spite of the fact that the number of vehicles and miles driven are increasing. As a result the Georgia auto insurance companies are making record profits and are offering incentives for you to change companies.
If you have not checked you auto insurance rates lately now is a good time to compare.
Ohio Online Traffic School
ONLINE TRAFFIC SCHOOL
Many Ohio traffic courts allow you to take Ohio online traffic school and keep the speeding ticket off your record. Check HERE for your court.
Ohio Supreme Court OK's Use of Red Light Cameras
The Ohio Supreme Court has given the green light to municipalities, including Columbus, that use red light traffic cameras to fine violators with civil penalties.
In a unanimous opinion the Court ruled that municipalities don't exceed home rule provisions of the state constitution by using automated traffic-enforcement devices, an allegation Akron-area motorists who had been cited for speeding in school zones took to court.
Ohio Officers Can Guess at Your Speed
For an Ohio traffic ticket the officer can visually estimate (guess) at your speed and give you an Ohio speeding ticket.
"A majority of the appellate districts that have considered the issue have held that an officer's testimony that in his opinion, a defendant was traveling in excess of the speed limit is sufficient to sustain a conviction for speeding," Justice Maureen O'Connor wrote for the majority. "Given Santimarino's training, OPOTA certification, and experience in visually estimating vehicle speed, his estimation that Jenney was traveling 70 miles per hour was sufficient to support Jenney's conviction... We hold that a police officer's unaided visual estimation of a vehicle's speed is sufficient evidence to support a conviction for speeding in violation of R.C. 4511.21(D) without independent verification of the vehicle's speed if the officer is trained, is certified by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy or a similar organization that develops and implements training programs to meet the needs of law enforcement professionals and the communities they serve, and is experienced in visually estimating vehicle speed."
PREVENT FUTURE OHIO TRAFFIC TICKETS
Purchasing a quality radar detector and laser detector and learning how to use it can help prevent future Ohio speeding tickets.
Any Ohio driver convicted of a traffic violation is assessed a specific number of Ohio drivers license points according to the type of violation. If convicted of a second or subsequent offense within two years after the first violation, the point assessment for the new violation is added to the driver’s previous total. For example, if you were cited for an Ohio traffic ticket in excess of the speed limit and were given two points for the violation, and within two years were cited for drag racing, your total point accumulation would be eight.
The points for specific moving violations follow.
Six-point violations
Homicide by vehicle Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and/or any drug of abuse Failure to stop and disclose identity at the scene of a crash Willingly fleeing or eluding a law enforcement officer Drag racing Operating a motor vehicle without the consent of the owner Operating a motor vehicle while your license is under suspension or revocation Using a motor vehicle in the commission of a felony, or committing any crime punishable as a felony under Ohio Motor Vehicle Laws
Four-point violations
Willful or wanton disregard of the safety of persons or property
Two-point violations
All moving violations except those pertaining to size limits and some speed offenses Operating a motor vehicle in violation of a restriction imposed by the Registrar of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Speeding violations
An Ohio speeding ticket may result in four points, two points or no points depending on the posted speed limit and the number of mph by which the speed limit was exceeded.
Exceeding a speed limit by 30 mph or more results in four points. If the speed limit is 55 mph or more, exceeding the limit by more than 10 mph (11–29 mph over the limit) results in two points. If the speed limit is less than 55 mph, exceeding the limit by more than 5 mph (6–29 mph over the limit) results in two points. Exceeding any speed limit in an amount less than what is stated above results in no points.
Often an Ohio traffic attorney can negotiate for a no point speeding ticket which will save you money on your auto insurance.
Beat Ohio Speeding Ticket
Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Includes info on Ohio DUI laws, Financial Responsibility, Digest of Ohio Motor Vehicle Laws and more.
Ohio Traffic Ticket Penalties Sentencing chart prepared by Judge Jennifer P. Weiler in her work with the Ohio Supreme Court Judicial College. They summarize portions of the Ohio traffic law. The chart has been distributed throughout the State of Ohio and has become a standard reference tools for judges, magistrates, attorneys and litigants when dealing with an Ohio traffic tickets.
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