Fight Your Ticket in Michigan

Fighting a Speeding Ticket or Traffic Ticket in Michigan

At some point or another most of us are going to get a speeding ticket or other traffic violation, however, contrary to popular belief, you do not just have to suck it up and pay the fine and all the additional insurance expenses that come along with the ticket. Instead, there are multiple ways that you can fight a speeding ticket or fight a traffic ticket that are proven to work to either completely eliminate the ticket or at the very least reduce the fine. Here are some proven methods to fight and beat a speeding ticket or traffic ticket.

1. Trial By Written Declaration

In some states when you receive a ticket and decide you want to plead not guilty and contest the ticket, you will have two options to do so - you can appear in court to fight the ticket; or you can proceed to trial by written declaration to fight your traffic ticket. Essentially what this means is that rather than appear in court, you decide you will write up an account of your argument against the ticket and send it to the Michigan court. The officer who pulled you over will do the same and then the judge will make a judgment of guilty, not guilty, or a reduced fine based on the two statements. According to many people, this is a great way to fight a ticket and has a high success rate, especially if you hire a professional organization to write your declaration for you. One of the reasons it has a high success rate, is that when you decide to a trail by declaration, the officer is sent a form that they must complete. If they do not send in the form on time, which happens about 30% of the time, you win.

To fight your Michigan speeding ticket or traffic ticket by written declaration if it is available, you will need to take a couple of steps. First, when you send your ticket to the court, you will need to plead not guilty and indicate that you would like to fight the ticket through written declaration. In some states you need to send the written declaration with your ticket and in others you have a window in which to mail in the declaration explaining why you are not guilty of the violation. In most states, if you lose your Trial by Declaration, you can request an in person trial and have another opportunity to fight the ticket.

Most people recommend hiring a service to fight a ticket in Michigan using Trail by Declaration. They will know exactly what to include in the declaration as well as what it will take to win. Many of these services are fairly inexpensive when you compare it to the cost of the traffic ticket fine and the years of insurance rate increases you will face. In addition, this could be a smart move if you already have multiple tickets on your Michigan record and are facing license suspension or heavy fines as a repeat offender.

2. Fight Your Ticket in Court

If you live in a state that doesn't offer Trial by Declaration or would prefer to fight your ticket in court, you have a couple of options of how to proceed initially. First, you can hire a ticket attorney, many of which are not very expensive and specialize in fighting traffic tickets. This is especially important if you have multiple tickets on your record or are facing license suspension. Your other option is to fight the ticket yourself in court by arguing your case. One thing to remember is that there is a chance that the officer will not show up to court in which case you automatically win and will be found not guilty.

If you do decide to represent yourself in court, there are some things to keep in mind to increase your chances of winning. First and foremost, come prepared to the trial with any and all evidence you have. This could include any photographs of the road conditions, including pictures of obstructed speed limit signs, strange road conditions, or photos of where the officer was standing if you believe their view was obstructed. Along with that, make sure you have thought through your argument and you know exactly what you want to say to contest your ticket. Many people show up simply hoping the officer won't show and end up losing their Michigan traffic ticket case because they weren't prepared. Finally, be polite and kind. Getting angry, yelling, or being rude in the Michigan court is not going to make it likely that the court will show you leniency and either reduce or dismiss your ticket.

3. Hire a Professional

In most cases, it is recommended to hire a Michigan professional ticket fighting agency or attorney if you decide to pursue Trial by Declaration or an in person trial. The costs associated with hiring a professional usually are far less then the ticket itself and the insurance rate increases. Also, it will undoubtedly increase your chances of winning.

Tips For When You Get Pulled Over

One of the best ways to fight a Michigan speeding ticket or fight a traffic ticket is to be proactive and prepared anytime you are pulled over. Always be polite and kind to the officer who pulled you over but do not admit guilt. Getting upset or arguing with the police officer will make you more memorable and make it more likely that they appear in court, so always be courteous and polite.

Additionally, be aware of your surroundings. If you believe you were pulled over in error due to officer error, an obstructed speed limit or traffic sign, or another reason; make sure to document that evidence with photographs or a written description.

Finally, check the ticket carefully for accuracy. Make sure the Michigan ticket does not include any information that is not true that could come back to make it more difficult to fight. If you notice any errors, ask the police officer politely to correct them.

Frequently Asked Questions