Should I Take My Speeding Fine to Court?

One of the really common questions that I get asked is, “Should I take my speeding fine to court?”

It’s one of those questions that doesn’t really have a straightforward answer for everyone. There’s no black and white, one size fits all. It really depends on your main concerns and what you are hoping to achieve in the process.

There are lots of situations where going to court is the right way to deal with the problem. On the flip side, there are some cases where if you take your ticket to court, you might actually find yourself in a worse situation than you started, so it’s really important that you have a clear understanding right from the beginning what you’re hoping to achieve. That way, we can help you decide whether court is the best way to go about it.

What are some of the reasons that you might take your ticket to court?

1. The demerit points are going to put you over or close to your limit.There are a lot of situations where magistrates can make orders that have the effect of wavering the demerit points and hence, saving your licence.
2. There are extenuating circumstances or a really good excuse for what happened.Magistrates have the power to listen to your side of the story and adjust the penalty accordingly. If your ticket’s a little bit unfair or there’s a really good reason for why you found yourself over the speed limit, it might be worth taking it to court and trying to get a lesser penalty.
3. You are not guilty.If you haven’t committed the offence, you might like that chance to clear your name. Make sure it doesn’t hit your record.

The really important thing is to speak to a lawyer and get some advice as to whether yours is a good case to take to court before you make the election.

We can help you decide whether going to court is going to be the right option and whether it’s going to be able to achieve the results that you’re after. There might even be some other safer, more cost-effective ways that we can solve the issue for you.

So if you’ve received a fine and you’re thinking of contesting it, give us a call. We’re always happy to help.