The three crucial questions you should ask your attorney about a 100+ MPH speeding ticket are not what most CA drivers would ask an attorney. 

Usually, the first question they ask is if they will get jail time if convicted. No, 100+ mph speeding is a major infraction, not a criminal offense. Then, they will typically ask if they need a lawyer. Unequivocally, yes! If you think you cannot afford an attorney, you sure can’t afford the consequences of the conviction. 

Therefore, let’s look at the three crucial questions you should ask.

Will I have to Appear in Court?

A 100+ mph speeding ticket comes with a mandatory court appearance, so if you do not hire an attorney, you will need to represent yourself in traffic court in the county where you were stopped. Representing yourself is not wise, especially with so much at stake. 

First, you will give the judge the impression that you don’t care. Why do you think it will look to the judge that you don’t care? The judge knows what’s at stake. They also know that even other lawyers hire a traffic attorney to represent them in traffic court. But mostly, it’s because you don’t have the knowledge or experience. Why do you think lawyers go to law school after completing a four-year college?  Why do those lawyers normally hire other lawyers who actually handle traffic tickets regularly in court?

In CA, 100+ mph speeding is a major infraction, no it is not a misdemeanor as you are likely to read on the internet, but if you’re convicted, there are some severe consequences beyond the fine. One is the possible suspension of driving privileges for 30 days. Another is the two negligent operator treatment system (NOTS) points the DMV will assess, which will cause a rise in your auto insurance as much as double or triple the current rate. Yes, the second question is about how this conviction would effect your car insurance and it deserves a closer look.

How Much Will My Auto Insurance Go Up If I am Convicted? 

Most people want to know how much the fine is. With a 100+ mph speeding ticket conviction, the fine is almost inconsequential. Although it is between $900 and $2,500, it is not even close to what you will pay in increased auto insurance if you are convicted. 

If you are the average Californian, you pay nearly $2,000 per year. After a conviction on a 100+ mph speeding ticket, you could pay between $4,000 and $6,000 per year because your premium could double or triple. 

To add to the bad news, this conviction will stay on your record for seven years. That is why it is crucial to hire a CA traffic attorney to represent you in court when you get one of these tickets.

How Much Will It Cost to Hire a Traffic Attorney to Challenge My 100+ MPH Speeding Ticket

The answer to this question will vary between traffic attorneys. Your legal fee will depend on the traffic attorney’s reputation, location and the number of upcoming cases they have, not to mention travel or court time. When you need to hire an experienced and knowledgeable traffic attorney from Bakersfield to hire an attorney in the Central Valley or Southern California, you will probably pay more for an attorney that works harder, smarter, and is more likely to get good results. Likewise, if you hire Bigger & Harman to defend you, their reputation for the successful defense of 100+ mph speeding tickets is one of the best in CA. Excellent traffic attorneys stay busy.

However, whatever they charge, you need to pay it because it is worth the price (regardless of what it is) to get a dismissal or even a reduced charge. If they believe it is unlikely they will get a dismissal, getting the judge to agree to a reduced charge could save you thousands of dollars over the seven years a conviction for 100+ mph speeding would stay on your motor vehicle driving record (MVR). A reduced charge means one point for three years instead of two points for seven years.  A one point violation, while not comfortable, is sometimes forgiven by insurance companies and not nearly as big of a hit as a two pointer. 

Keep in mind that there are no guarantees. The traffic court judge is under no obligation to accept a plea bargain or reduced charge, but they’re more apt to when negotiating with an attorney with an excellent reputation. 

Many drivers fail to consider this negotiation as successful. They see that they have to pay a $1,000 fine and get upset. Yes, $1,000 is a lot of money, but the fine in case of conviction we already told you was $900 to $2,500, and the increase in insurance premium could be thousands or tens-of-thousands for seven years.    

Bigger & Harman, the Bakersfield Traffic Attorney Team to Hire for Your 100+ MPH Speeding Ticket 

If you’re ticketed with a 100+ mph speeding ticket on I-15 headed to or from Vegas, call Bigger & Harman, (661) 349-9300. Se habla Español (661) 349-9755.

We have defended so many of these 100+ speeding tickets; we wrote a book about the consequences. Register to download the book free here: https://www.bakersfieldtraffictickets.com/traffic-offenses/speeding-over-100-mph/

Email: attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com. 

References:

The 2021 CA Driver Handbook English y Español