When you get a traffic ticket, you have to decide how to handle it. Some people think that just paying them off is the right course of action, but this isn’t always the case. You have to think carefully about how you are going to handle the case. For some tickets, you have to go to court. In other cases, you can waive your right to stand before the court and pay the stated fine.
If you choose to pay off the fine, remember that this is considered a conviction on your record. While it might not matter for many people, it does for those who need a clean driving record for work. In this case, you might be able to go before the court and fight the ticket.
If you choose to appear for the court date listed on your ticket, you need to show up at the appointed court date. This is listed on the ticket and is the one that serves the county and city where you received the ticket. If you don’t live in the area, you might choose to have a lawyer appear on your behalf. This might not require you to show up in court.
Before you pay the ticket or decide to fight it, think about how both options might impact you. If you pay it, you might have job consequences and car insurance implications. If you fight it, you may need to take off work to appear in court. You also have to think about the financial cost of both options before you decide.