My question involves a traffic ticket from the state of: Washington, City of Aberdeen
I was ticketed yesterday for going 49 in a 30 zone. I was coming down off a bridge and the officer was going the opposite direction. I was already braking for the descent. I admit I was very distracted as I had just found out that a friend had committed suicide (I did not tell the officer this as I was an emotional wreck and doing everything possible to keep myself from bursting into tears). But distracted or not, I never travel that fast coming off the bridge as I have to merge into a lane that splits off from the two lanes coming off the bridge, which I always brake/slow down for. I also think that I would have had to be flying past other vehicles, which I was not. I was clocked using SMD. I honestly do not know how fast I was going and at the time of the ticket couldn't even recall the speed limit on the bridge, which I drive almost daily, other than the previous 3+ months as I had been abroad and had not driven a car during that time until the day of the ticket.
I want to challenge this ticket or at least ask for a deferral, but am unsure the best way to go about it. If I check "Contested Hearing" will I be eliminating the possibility of a deferral if I lose on contesting the ticket? From the other posts I have read, I assume I need to request SMD certs and also discovery from the PA office. Is this correct? Will requesting this information hamper a deferral in any way?
My driving record is clear and have not had a deferral in 10+ years.
Thank you for any information you can provide and for doing what you do on here. I greatly appreciate the time you are investing in this.

