Stupid but serious question..read in

[tam9]

Hi guys,

I'm at court on thursday for doing 74.25 in a 50 and I've not got a lawyer so I was wondering (seriously) how I would address the judge when I need to speek to him/them. If anyone could give me some tips that'd be great!

Also anyone got any tips on what I should try and support my case with? and genuinely I do need my car to get to work as it is ~50 miles away from my house and there is no transport from my home to place of work at the time i start in the mornings

So if anyone has got any tips I would sincerely appreciate it!

TIA,

Tam.

[Crags]

Well, first things... ALWAYS call the Judge Sir - ALWAYS.

Secondly, and I can't stress this enough - do not even border on acting in any way confident, or smug - act as shit scared and sorry as your drama classes at school will allow. We went to court a few months back with some smug arsehole from London who represented himself - thought he was the mutts nutts throwing in big client names at the judge and shit - he just basically said mate you've wasted your time coming here - you've lost.

I'm not sure why it happened or whatever but you'r basically gonna have to beg and plead this one by the sounds of things - act remourseful and ask if they have one of them day things you can go to teach people the conseqeunces of speeding. Sometimes one day in a room with people looking at pictures of horrific crashes and shit can knock it down to a hefty fine. My sister in law got let off totally by volunteering, and going to one of them things.

Basically, good luck - but look very smart, act shameful and totally sorry and basically offer him your soul in return for not banning you. Should do it.

Hope it works out for you mate...

Oh... and fu**ing SLOW DOWN!

[oE]

I would agree with the above and stress to the court that as well as being sorry you are fearfull that losing your license will lose you your job. Courts are very wary about taking away your right to work for what is effectivly a minor crime in the scale of things.

oE.

[wizer]

why dont u ask LE in the legal section?

[Morph]

Well, first things... ALWAYS call the Judge Sir - ALWAYS.

Even if its a woman ??

Plus wont it be going to Magistrates first, so in effect they wont be a Judge, just a JP....?

[BertRoot]

I'd call them m' lud for comedy value

[tam9]

It's the district court I'm attending. Does that mean anything different - i'm totally confuddled with all this stuff!

I plan to be sincere and truthful as after I got caught i've not really even went fast (maybe a sly 5 mph on the motorway).

I actually do need the car for my job and I run two non-drivers to work too so it will hamper those 2 also if I get banned!


Wizer: I have, but I thought my question wasn't very legal...but more common knowledge to the board

Thanks again guys,

Tam.

[BM]

Good luck m8, hope it goes your way.

[Soulassassin]

I went to court a few years ago without a lawyer, my only regret is not taking a lawyer.
I was doing 47mph in a temporary 30mph (altho the cones were removed and it was on a motorway and there was still national speed signs up)
I got done for £330 plus 4 points, I feel if I took a lawyer I may have gottn away with it given the circumstances, in front of the judge or whatever the hell they want to be called I'd say I was quite nervous and didnt expect what it actually was..
My advice, especially if you NEED your licence, get a lawyer..

[tam9]

I went to court a few years ago without a lawyer, my only regret is not taking a lawyer.
I was doing 47mph in a temporary 30mph (altho the cones were removed and it was on a motorway and there was still national speed signs up)
I got done for £330 plus 4 points, I feel if I took a lawyer I may have gottn away with it given the circumstances, in front of the judge or whatever the hell they want to be called I'd say I was quite nervous and didnt expect what it actually was..
My advice, especially if you NEED your licence, get a lawyer..

I've not got time to get a lawyer mate, i'm working up until the day before I appear in court and it's at 0930!

Also cheers, BM for the support, muchly appreciated mate

Tam.

[cosmicma]

you should be able to get it adjourned to give you time to get a solicitor

[tam9]

I had enough time to get a solicitor. I don't think they'd allow me to adjourn and if i did they'd ban me for defo next time i appeared at court iwth a lawyer!

Tam

[Soulassassin]

I had enough time to get a solicitor. I don't think they'd allow me to adjourn and if i did they'd ban me for defo next time i appeared at court iwth a lawyer!

Tam

Thats another thing, the time I was to appear in court was bang in the middle of a holiday, so I phoned the court and told em I was on hols on that date, they basically said it would be adjourned to a later date if I didnt turn up. Give em a bell and say you cant make the date, I didnt need proof or anything.

And one more thing I forgot to add, Good luck mate however you decide to go, hope you have better luck than I did

[biggy7]

id get in touch with LE mate, he will give ya the lowdown on what to say and do.

i went to court 5 yrs back, tottin up 12 points, within a space of 3 months, i told the judge that it was just lapse in concentration and was sorry for it. He said that i was a very honest person so hence he only gave me a 6 month ban and a £80 fine (after the ban my license would be clean of any points)

good luck mate, just be sincere and you should get off lightly cos of your job etc etc.

[Swiss Tony]

Ok, trust me on this I know....


1) You can go to court and ask when you go in and speak to the adjutant for the court to appoint you the duty solicitor. If he / she is not available then the date will be adjurned until one is available, thus giving you two options :-
A) Use the court solicitor (i wouldn't bother here because of the speed you were doing)
B) You will have enough time to get a proper solicitor who deals with road traffic law. They are not cheap but I can give you the number of someone who got my sisters husband off with 9 points and £500 for doing 119 on a motorway.

2) You can represent yourself, admit everything, and you may get away with a 21 day ban and a big fine, BUT.............remember if you represent yourself (you were going over 20mph over the 50mph speed limit and do not in MHO from what I've read above know enough of the legal boundries to get off with a fine/points) because of the 2003 road traffic ammendment which used to allow for 30mph over the speed limit before you get banned no3w only allowing 19.6mph, you will probably get a ban I am afraid.

PM me if you wish me to give you a number of someone you can talk to, his first hour is free.

Tony

[tam9]

Thanks for the kind replies guys!

I'm still pretty nervous (as to be expected). I don't think i'll try and get it adjourned as I'm better hitting the nail on the head right now.

I will plead to the court that I do really need my car for work and hopefully if the judge can see it in himself to give me 5 points or less I would be very greatful!

I have learned my lesson and I hope they do see that. I may pm LE and ask him a question and hopefully he'll get back to me.

Cheers again guys,

Tam.

[Crags]

One more thing mate - that might help - you better come up with a damn good reason why you were doing that speed, and don't bullshit him. It's probably going to go along the lines of "Do you know what speed you were doing etc" and what have you to say in your defense, why you were doing it and whether he thinks you're genuinely sorry and wont do it again etc. I think you'll know in the first few minutes what the outcome will be depending upon the judges mannerisms and tone of voice. If he seems like a fairly ok guy - go with honesty, lube up turn around and take it where you should he he.

Other than that - I do wish you luck mate, but as someone else said 19.6 over the limit is (almost) an instant ban. You are allowed 10% over the speed limit before getting pulled (told to me by a traffic cop) unless he's a RIGHT cu*t! So basically, 55 you were allowed, 74.25 you were doing... makes the diff 19.25. You better kiss yer nuts good luck, and cross every extremety you have.

[spagboll]

Similair situtaion I had myself ( speeding, needed car for job, no solicitor )

I turned up in court on said day with a letter from my employer stating that if I lost the car I'd lose my job ( VERY important! GET ONE!!! ) and I had the duty solicitor as well. He took my into a room and got the details of the offence and basically spoke for me in court which was a MASSIVE relief.

My advice, get a letter from you employer explaining that no car= no job, and get a solicitor even if its the duty one. Don't go in alone.

Oh and remember to stand when they come into the courtroom! my girlfriend didn't even though she was in the public bit and got bollocked! lol...

My result, standard 3 points, £30 fine plus £70 costs..

One thing they did mention though was that you can only use the " need car for job/livelyhood " excuse once! That alone slows you down!


Mike.

[wiggi28]

Well, first things... ALWAYS call the Judge Sir - ALWAYS.

the only thing he wiil be calling is a taxi ...................................



speeding is no longer a minor thing in modern law so to be honest expect a ban mate
not only were you speeding you were also going above the national limit not good really is it ???

:thumbs

[tam9]

Well guys, it's been along time...I appeared at court today all suited up to the hilt (looking better than the jakies (lol))

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO the verdict was 4 points and a 200 quid fine! :thumbs

Thanks very much everyone for their help and support very much appreciated and it just goes to show that this place is the best on the net!!

Cheers again all,

Tam.