I got a speeding ticket in a school zone, but was tagged before i actually entered. How do I fight this?

It's a hassle, unless you use a traffic ticket lawyer. The city will send you a pre-trial time to appear, you'll go, wait for some time and then be told to come back for trial, most likely during an inconvenient time. When you appear at that inconvenient time, if the officer is not there, the judge may continue the case to another time, or may dismiss for lack of prosecution - you win. If the officer is there, the judge (or magistrate) has already heard that excuse and the officer will testify you were speeding. The judge will find the officer's testimony more credible than yours and you lose. Your only hope is that the officer doesn't show. Traffic ticket lawyers live at the courthouse, know the judges so everything flows smoothly. They'll move to dismiss if no cop is there. Most everyone feels it's just not worth the pain to prove the point, and you'll probably lose anyway. Let the lawyer get you a withhold of adjudication so you don't get points or a conviction - probably costs about $80.

If you consider the hike in your insurance rates, then yes it is worth fighting. The best advice is for you to get an attorney. Your attorney will be able to properly contest the officer's version.

I agree with Mr. Epifanio. There is really no downside to fighting a traffic ticket. In theory, if you are found guilty, the judge could order a higher fine than the one originally posted on the ticket, but that rarely happens. On the otherhand, unless your driving record is horrible, you will likely get a withhold of adjudication, thus saving you points on your license. Additionally, there is always the chance that your ticket gets dismissed, either because the officer doesn't show up or because the judge believes your testimony at the hearing. If you would like to discuss your case further, feel free to call my office.