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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    2

    Default What Are the Chances That I Can Defer My Traffic Violation

    My question involves a traffic ticket from the state of: Washington (Renton, King County)

    I recently had an accident where I lost control over my car on a curve in the rain and crashed into the metal railing on the freeway. Cops, firetruck, and tow truck came. A week later I got a traffic violation stating that I "speed too fast for conditions". What are the chances that I can get the violation deferred? I am 18 years old and I got my license 14 months ago, and have had a clean driving record. Also, would it be better to request a mitigation or contest hearing?

    Thank you for replying in advance

    -Jen

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Snohomish, WA
    Posts
    1,588

    Default Re: What Are the Chances That I Can Defer My Traffic Violation

    You are eligible for a deferral of one moving and one non-moving violation every seven years. Be especially careful in King County, as deferral can be a double-edged sword. You pay for the deferral, which will be slightly more than the violation. This pays for a year of supervision of your driving record. If you are convicted of any other moving violation in that year, and King County District Court gets wind of it, you can expect a nasty gram from the court stating that you have forfeited the money you paid for the deferral, that the deferral is now void, and that you now owe the original fine of the infraction that you deferred. To top it all off, BOTH of them will now be reported to the department of licensing.

    Contested hearing means you are pleading not guilty and contesting it. If you intend to do this, perform a discovery request and post it here.

    As for the mitigation hearing, this is an admission you're guilty to obtain a lowered fine. It will still be reported on your driving record and affect your insurance.

    Personally, I think you don't have a ice cube's chance in... well you aren't going to beat it. It was rather obvious that you lost control of the vehicle and crashed it into the guard rail, which is prima facie evidence that you were traveling too fast for the conditions.

    So your options are as follows:
    1. Deferral and pay slightly higher fine, keep clean for a year and it goes away, never gets reported. Screw up and you have two reported.
    2. Mitigation and pay a fine, it goes on your record, and you keep your deferral option open for a more important use at a later time.
    3. Contest and likely lose.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    2

    Default Re: What Are the Chances That I Can Defer My Traffic Violation

    Thanks for the fast reply Speedy Gonzalez Let's say I would like to mitigate and plead guilty. Can I also defer and pay slightly higher fine, if so, what are the chances that I can get it deferred?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Snohomish, WA
    Posts
    1,588

    Default Re: What Are the Chances That I Can Defer My Traffic Violation

    Pretty much 100%. You stated that you have not used a deferral. The judge will usually give a little speech about your options/tell you to line up if you want a deferral, yadda, yadda, yadda. It will be very obvious. You can select contested on your infraction and send it back, then at the contested hearing, take the deferral.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    1,383

    Default Re: What Are the Chances That I Can Defer My Traffic Violation

    These tickets are worth contesting and getting discovery. Most of the time, everything in the officer's statement is inadmissible as hearsay. Plus, You can still ask for a deferral at a contested hearing.

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