2_60b4u

I was curious if anyone here has ever went to court and used a deferral to ensure the ticket would stay off the record?

Looking for people who may have first hand experience in this department as I've always sent my tickets to a attorney.

Sundodger

I have once, this is my experience:

You end up paying out of pocket the same or a bit more in ticket and court fees as if you just paid the ticket.

Insurance never found out about it.

Have to keep you nose clean for pretty long time other wise you get hit with a bunch more fees and such.

I kept my nose clean after the ticket so I don't have details on that.

WAwatchnut

If you have a case that the lawyer could win, I'd say go that route.

Deferrals are okay, but you still have to show up in court, and pay court fees, plus fees to defer the ticket. For me those costs were more than the ticket.

Then, you have to stay clean for a full year, otherwise any infraction (I believe you have to be found guilty of the new infraction) automatically puts the deferred ticket back on your record (no fighting it). So now you have two incidents that the insurance company can hold against you.

You can only defer one ticket per 7 years.

In my case, I was one of the last to be heard, so I got to wait in court for 3 hours, listening to all theses cases where the LEO incorrectly worded, or left out necessary information. Meanwhile my ticket was written by Mr. **** Retention, and had everything perfect on all of the things that the judge was dismissing the other cases on!

Good luck with your decision.

DidntSettle

My wife deferred one in Kent about 5 years ago and it worked out fine for her. But I got one in Cle Elum and the cost to defer was more than the ticket and then they required me to take an online traffic safety course to be approved for the deferment. The cost of that was an additional $45 as I recall over and above all the other BS charges. Since I had not had a ticket since 1989 I just decided to pay the damn thing and be done with it. Insurance has not checked me out yet...I don't know how often they check on old guys. I guess I could have gotten a lawyer and did all that at a cost triple the ticket, but it was not that big a deal since it was only a ten over ticket.

last901

Did you receive the ticket as a result of radar/laser or did the officer just pace you?

If you think you have a case, the attorney might be the best way to go, but there are some ways to work - if not beat - the system by yourself, without the use of an attorney.

It used to be relatively simple to beat radar tickets on your own, but that's no longer the case, necessarily.

More details please.

2_60b4u

For once it wasn't me getting pulled over ha ha..

The real criminal is my girlfriend! She was caught by radar/laser in Skagit County doing 70 in a 60. She's never had a ticket before and it would be nice to keep it that way. I told her who takes care of my tickets but she has others telling her to get it deferred.

Women

TMyers

Deffered a ticket about 6 years ago now. You have to show up in court and the cost was the same as the ticket. In my case it was easy, the judge ask if anyone was deffering a ticket, I was the only one. He asked when my last ticket was, I told him 27 years ago. He stood up and told everyone else to stand and I got a standing O.

billla

I deferred one in August. Long story short, I filled out a form, paid the fine and walked out. No court, no nothing. This was in Bothell.

WAwatchnut

That's interesting - I don't remember mail in being an option when did it (summer before last). Wonder if it's changed, or if it's municipality based?

rutiger

my wife and i have both deferred a ticket in the past. both were a few years back. neither of us had to go to court though. just filled out the form and why it should be deferred and both were approved.

billla

Must be - it was really simple. They had a pre-printed form that I signed and then paid the funds...and that was that.