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Will this speeding ticket be considered a misdemeanor on background checks?
Anonymous5 views6 answers
I received a speeding ticket (40-6-181) for going 28 mph over the speed limit in a school zone in GA. I'm an out-of-state student (NJ license) and wanted to know whether this would be considered a "misdemeanor" and will show up on background checks when applying to graduate schools. Also, since Georgia a part of "The Driver License Compact", will this ticket follow me back to NJ? Thanks!
teve Daniel SantiagoCriminal Defense AttorneyBradenton, FL ·
If it was initially filed as a misdemeanor then yes. The ticket will probably reflect on your NJ driving record as well. To be sure, you can get a copy of your DL record at your local clerk's office.
Yes, speeding is considered a misdemeanor offense in Georgia.
If you plead guilty by paying the ticket, Georgia's Department of Driver Services will report it to New Jersey's license authority. It would then show up on your driving record. You are facing a potentially large insurance rate increase if you plead guilty to the charge as it now stands.
However, my experience is that speeding tickets are not made part of the type of criminal record that graduate schools usually run.
A speeding ticket in Georgia is a misdemeanor and it will get reported to your home state's DMV. However, you may be able to get the speed reduced or the charge amended to an offense which does not get reported to Ga DDS and would not be forwarded to your home state. Traffic violations typically only appear on your driving record and do not appear on your criminal history rap sheet (called Gcic in GA) so a criminal history report would not show the violation.
Please see my answer to your other question concerning the compact. This is a misdemeanor only because Georgia's traffic laws are misdemeanors. Most states traffic laws are only traffic offenses. Georgia is funny. As long as you were not arrested and fingerprinted this charge will not appear on your criminal background. I would not report it as a criminal conviction.
If you are Convicted of the Speeding Ticket it will show up on your Driving History. In your case, the the best thing to do would be to hire an attorney to fight the ticket. A dismissal or a reduction of the speed to 14 mph over would prevent the ticket from being reported to the state. Finally, if you are convicted of the charge (as it is) but you weren't arrested & fingerprinted, the conviction should not appear on your Criminal history. I am attaching a link to a video I made that will give you information about speeding charges in Georgia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ1PVb1mghg&index=10&list=PL3Lux1K50VUjxAFADWxqlVj2GIdew3TL5
I hope this information is helpful to you.
Good Luck!!! George McCranie www.McCranieLawFirm.com
