Speeding Ticketing Going to Trial 3 Years Later

[sm1977]

My question involves a traffic ticket from the state of: SC and NC

I got a speeding ticket in September 2008 in NC. I did a prayer for judgment and attended 8 hours of traffic school. The points would not be reported unless I got another ticket within 3 years. In May 2011, I got a speeding ticket in SC. I hired a lawyer as it was not quite 3 years since the 2008 ticket and now I would have those points and the points from the 2011 ticket all at once. Yikes! Today I got an email from the lawyer 3 YEARS later saying my court date is next week. I have an email from the lawyer from October 2011 saying it was dismissed. I don't know what happened about that. I know points on your driving record come off after 3 years, but 3 years from when? from the date you received the ticket? From the date the fine (if any) was paid? If my lawyer can't get the 2011 ticket dropped, how will this effect my insurance now in 2014. Will I need to be concerned with the 2008 ticket as well?

[flyingron]

I'm going to assume you have an NC driver's license.

You're wrong about points in general. DMV points have a three year lookback with regard to license suspension (they don't ever technically leave your record, they just stop being counted towards your suspension). Insurance points do not time out. They get reduced by 3 points for every year you don't have a violation (you can also go to driver clinic to reduce some).

The time for the PJC probation runs from the date of conviction (well sentencing actually but for you that's the same thing) not the date of the ticket.

I am confused what court date you got, was that for the original NC charge or the "new" SC charge?

If the latter, I doubt it will affect your PJC. You will get points for the SC charge as soon as SC convicts you.
What does the lawyer say about the timeliness of prosecution here?

[sm1977]

Thank you for the response. Yes, you are correct, the court date next week is for the "new" SC ticket. Technically it was the lawyers assistant that emailed me. When I questioned timeliness and the fact I'd been told the ticket had been dismissed, she could only tell me the lawyer was out until Monday and she would forward my concerns to him. I tried to do research on right to a timely trial in SC, but didn't really find anything. Fingers crossed this gets lessened or dismissed (for real this time).