[PeanutButter]

I just got a speeding ticket today... FML

$196 fine amount.. On marine drive.. So choked, I didn't even think I was speeding, I was going at a nice leisurely pace, but alas.

Has anyone fought a ticket before?

I want to get a lawyer because I don't want the points on my license.

Can someone recommend a lawyer? And do you know how much it would cost?

I do not want to fight the ticket myself.

Thanks

EDIT:

I found two lawyers that deal with defending tickets (off google) and i'll update the thread if anyone is curious once I find out more information.

I'm worried about my record long term and the ICBC premiums if you get too many points on your license.

[Mr.HappySilp]

Pay the fine, take the points, lesson learn and move on.

No one on RS is going to help you avoid paying a fine you when you clearly are in the wrong.

[PeanutButter]

Pay the fine, take the points, lesson learn and move on.

No one on RS is going to help you avoid paying a fine you when you clearly are in the wrong.

Good ol' Revscene.

Thanks for your advice, but hopefully someone on RS may help point me in the right direction.

If anyone knows a good lawyer or has experience I would be eager to hear from you.

[lowside67]

This is not the US - you do not need, and there is no value, to having a lawyer come with you to traffic court. The instructions are on the back of the ticket on how to dispute a ticket. And it's a douche move to waste the resources and time of the court for something you obviously did and have little to no chance of beating.

-Mark

[PeanutButter]

This is not the US - you do not need, and there is no value, to having a lawyer come with you to traffic court. The instructions are on the back of the ticket on how to dispute a ticket. And it's a douche move to waste the resources and time of the court for something you obviously did and have little to no chance of beating.

-Mark

Do you know anyone who has went to court to fight a ticket and lost? I wasn't aware it is a lost cause...

When you have points on your record, ICBC premiums can go up, there are other hidden costs.

Also, if you pay for the ticket, it stays on your record forever. To say there are is no value in fighting it, is simply not true.

And if I got a lawyer, I wouldn't go to the court, that's what i'm paying the lawyer for. I wouldn't have time to fight it.


I'm still looking for recommendations or experience in the matter. Conjecture is nice to play around with on the internet, but I would prefer actual experience, but I guess this is the internet and RS, so I should expect a certain level of low jabs at my request.

[GS8]

I just got a speeding ticket today... FML

$196 fine amount.. On marine drive.. So choked, I didn't even think I was speeding, I was going at a nice leisurely pace, but alas.

You just admitted that you didn't THINK you were speeding which is meaningless in court. What you think has nothing to do with what was done. If the cop has evidence of you speeding like a laser reading, you'll lose.

You also said 'nice leisurely pace'. What does that even mean? In court, they're all gonna laugh at you.

Cops always set up shop on Marine Drive because people speed through it all the time. How is your circumstance any different?

RS = Reality Scene

[PeanutButter]

You just admitted that you didn't THINK you were speeding which is meaningless in court. What you think has nothing to do with what was done. If the cop has evidence of you speeding like a laser reading, you'll lose.

You also said 'nice leisurely pace'. What does that even mean? In court, they're all gonna laugh at you.

Cops always set up shop on Marine Drive because people speed through it all the time. How is your circumstance any different?

RS = Reality Scene

Thank you for your reply.

But, I didn't admit anything. I simply said, I didn't think I was speeding. ie. I wasn't aware I was speeding.

This is why I wanted information about a lawyer or other peoples experiences. I'm not saying I'll win the case, but I wouldn't mind some peoples experiences if they had any.

I know RS can be a hostile place, but it can also be very resourceful. I don't mind taking some heat, but it isn't wrong for to exhaust all of my options.

[twitchyzero]

FML

So choked, I didn't even think I was speeding, I was going at a nice leisurely pace, but alas.

want to get a lawyer because I don't want the points on my license.

I do not want to fight the ticket myself.



snowflake post of the year...just read what you wrote and you'll understand why you're getting flack

if money's tight, you can have it reduced at court...but sounds like you're more worried about a bad mark and insurance premiums

i'm no saint...probably speeding half of the time...but dozen years in, not a single ticket. IMO if you get hit doing the deed, pay up.

and realize Marine Dr. is a classic fishing hole

[PeanutButter]

Yeah, I usually know where most of the speed traps are, but I have never seen one just past boundary going east before.

I contacted two lawyers that deal in this sort of thing. I just googled them, so hopefully they're good.

I'll update the thread if anyone cares, once I know more.

Thanks anyways.

[MG1]

RS, so harsh, Gulolol. You'd think someone spelt something wrong or posted something with grammatical errors in every sentence.

When it comes down to it, most of the *******s who posted negative replies probably do way more shittier stuff without the rest of us really knowing (shady business deals, ripping off others, lying, etc.) - but you know, someone else's shit always smells worse.


Anyway, points don't affect insurance until it reaches five penalty points. Your speeding ticket most likely comes with three penalty points. Stay out of trouble for a year and that three points will disappear. I also believe the points are based on your birthdate. Not the actual birthdate, but three months before. All this is from memory. You can phone ICBC to find out what it is exactly. As for your driving abstract, I believe that goes back five years?

If you dispute the ticket, your court date may be a year or more down the line. There are ways to fight your speeding ticket. I've done it. Many times. Yes, you fokkers, I disputed a ticket (oh no, we have a bad ass over here).

I used this web site in the past - it's super old, but still informative. I haven't disputed a speeding ticket in over ten years, btw.......... and I still speed here and there. Knock on wood.

FYST - Fight Your Speeding Tickets Page (http://fyst.ca)


And no, don't pm me with tips on how to...............

And before I go on about the "holier than thou," replies, I've been guilty of that myself, so......... "god bless."



When someone asks for help on RS, they get judged, instead.



.

[DoughBoy]

Pay the fine, take the points, lesson learn and move on.

No one on RS is going to help you avoid paying a fine you when you clearly are in the wrong.

Bitch.

[GabAlmighty]

Do you know anyone who has went to court to fight a ticket and lost? I wasn't aware it is a lost cause...

When you have points on your record, ICBC premiums can go up, there are other hidden costs.

Also, if you pay for the ticket, it stays on your record forever. To say there are is no value in fighting it, is simply not true.


Yes, lots. Pretty much if the cop shows up, you've lost

Only after 5 points. And not sure what the other hidden costs are, care to elaborate?

Yaaaaaaaa, no. You're wrong.

Bitch.

Solid post

[Euro7r]

To be honest, it's not even worth your time/money to even get a lawyer involved.

You weren't aware you were "speeding", then why would the cop pull over you over and hand you a ticket. They aren't going to hand you a ticket without legitimate evidence such as a laser reading. E.g. If you are roadstar and clean record for many years, doubt one ticket will ruin your premiums. I've had one ticket ever in my life, premiums weren't affected, although not sure how the points systems work currently with ICBC.

[DragonChi]

If you're worried about points, then I'm sure you've got caught for doing something else before. I would seriously think about the way your driving if that's the case.

Going to a judge about your concern about the points, you better have a good reason for him/her to remove them.

[lowside67]

And if I got a lawyer, I wouldn't go to the court, that's what i'm paying the lawyer for. I wouldn't have time to fight it.
You still need to attend. Your lawyer can plead not guilty on your behalf but cannot testify on your behalf (this is the part where I presume you would lie and say you weren't speeding), so if you don't attend, you cripple your own defense.

-Mark

[Lomac]

Do you know anyone who has went to court to fight a ticket and lost? I wasn't aware it is a lost cause...

When you have points on your record, ICBC premiums can go up, there are other hidden costs.

Also, if you pay for the ticket, it stays on your record forever. To say there are is no value in fighting it, is simply not true.

You only get dinged with point premiums if you get four or more points.

Driver Penalty Point Premium (http://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/tickets/Pages/Driver-Penalty-Points.aspx)

It also doesn't affect your insurance premiums, just serves as a one time payment punishment. If this is your first ticket with points attached this year, you wont get hit with any extra fines.

Points also go away after five years and your premium is based on a twelve month period, not that five year total.

Driver Penalty Point Premium (http://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/tickets/Pages/Driver-Penalty-Points.aspx)

Keep in mind traffic court isn't the same as civil or criminal court. If you wish to fight the ticket, that's your right. You may get lucky and the officer may not show up. You may also get lucky and work a deal out with the cop. Some officers are willing to negotiate the ticket prior to entering the session. I've had luck with that before (I didn't dispute the ticket, just was hoping to strike a plea deal for a lesser charge if I didn't dispute another part of the ticket.)

However, should you decide to say you're innocent, whether you have a lawyer or not, you'll need some proof that you weren't speeding. Some GPS equipped dash cams are accepted as is security footage from outside that area, provided it's full frame and you can calculate the speed based on meters traveled per second with it.

If you're going with the "I don't believe I was speeding" defense, you're not going to win. Plain and simple.



Keep in mind I'm not going for a "holier than thou" attitude here. I'm in no position to be that person. Case in point, in my younger days I was given an entire page ticket full of traffic violations, along with another full page written on a warning ticket. All during one stop on the highway. Thankfully this was before some of the more stricter rules came into effect because otherwise I likely would have lost my license for a year :lol

[Jmac]

I always used cruise control on Marine (and any other roads notorious for speed traps) so I would avoid situations like this.

No tickets in 18 years of driving, so yay.

[ziggyx]

Do you know anyone who has went to court to fight a ticket and lost? I wasn't aware it is a lost cause...

When you have points on your record, ICBC premiums can go up, there are other hidden costs.

Also, if you pay for the ticket, it stays on your record forever. To say there are is no value in fighting it, is simply not true.

And if I got a lawyer, I wouldn't go to the court, that's what i'm paying the lawyer for. I wouldn't have time to fight it.


I'm still looking for recommendations or experience in the matter. Conjecture is nice to play around with on the internet, but I would prefer actual experience, but I guess this is the internet and RS, so I should expect a certain level of low jabs at my request.


Doesnt want to pay premiums but willing to pay a lawyer :fulloffuck:

[Mr.Money]

moral of the story is dont cheap out on a laser blocker & radar system.

[MG1]

Keep in mind I'm not going for a "holier than thou" attitude here. I'm in no position to be that person. Case in point, in my younger days I was given an entire page ticket full of traffic violations, along with another full page written on a warning ticket. All during one stop on the highway. Thankfully this was before some of the more stricter rules came into effect because otherwise I likely would have lost my license for a year :lol

Oh, oh, oh........... can this be like the scene from Jaws, when they start showing each other their scars?

In my younger days, when they were contemplating introducing the points system in a trial run of some kind. I racked up points in the high twenties, maybe more within a month or so. Got letters from the superintendent of motor vehicles to attend defensive driving courses. They were actually pretty good, from the times I was actually awake - good thing they didn't have quizes. I was like dude in Tokyo Drift, 'cept I had nunchucks instead of tire iron. Ah, young and stupid, indeed.

And see this? *pointing to centre of chest, slightly stage right* Girl from college who broke my heart, Gulolol.


I am now a very kind and gentle old person............. a born again Buddhist.

[FerrariEnzo]

Someone is ballin to afford a lawyer for $200 ticket...

[twitchyzero]

but you know, someone else's shit always smells worse

SwiftRage

moral of the story is dont cheap out on a laser blocker & radar system.

jammers are illegal iirc
would likely be subjected to civil forfeiture

[danned]

if OP insisted getting a lawyer
why don't we just let him waste the time and money to see how
this situation goes.....
we are just the readers.....

[xjc11]

curious as to what OP's speed was clocked at vs speed limit on the area

[Obsideon]

IMO the only winner in this situation will be the lawyer you decide to go with.
It's a waste of everyone's time and money, except the lawyer, who is getting paid for it. The amount will definitely exceed the cost of the ticket and any other costs you think you are paying from this case.
I'm actually not even sure what or how you are fighting this? Are you planning to say "I'm pretty sure I wasn't speeding" and ... then see what they say?

[N.V.M.]

fuck, i would'nt even miss work to go to court and fight a $200 ticket.

[underscore]

Do you know anyone who has went to court to fight a ticket and lost? I wasn't aware it is a lost cause...

Most of the people who try it without real evidence to the contrary, lose.

When it comes down to it, most of the *******s who posted negative replies probably do way more shittier stuff without the rest of us really knowing (shady business deals, ripping off others, lying, etc.) - but you know, someone else's shit always smells worse.

This has to be one of the stupidest leaps I've ever seen someone make. Just...wow.

if OP insisted getting a lawyer
why don't we just let him waste the time and money to see how
this situation goes.....
we are just the readers.....

We're also the taxpayers whose money helps finance the court system are we not? People complain about how backlogged the courts are, or how difficult it is to dispute a ticket that is actually invalid, well here's why.

[MarkyMark]

I think OP assumes by lawyering up he'll get out of it because that's what lawyers do. Sorry but this ain't Suits and Harvey Specter isn't showing up outside the cops house at night to tell him to drop the ticket or he'll show his wife the pictures of the affair he's having.

[twitchyzero]

I'm actually not even sure what or how you are fighting this? Are you planning to say "I'm pretty sure I wasn't speeding" and ... then see what they say?

1. source a copy of Windows Movie Maker
2. apply that slow-mo effect to the dash cam footage
3. ?
4. profit

[EmperorIS]

You can probably talk to the cop on the court date to see if he'll let you pay the fine but not lose points. If your confident that you weren't speeding than plead not guilty in court and let the Judge decide.

[Badhobz]

Take it from a guy who has some notorious fob friends speeding in ferrari's and lambos. just pay the fine. They've all tried the court route before and its a waste of time.

One guy tried to tell the judge he's a student and that its his dads ferrari. The judge told him his dad can pay for his fine hahaha.

These guys have heard it all. The only thing you can do is like the guys stated before, hope that the cop doesnt show. You can help yourself out a bit if you keep rescheduling the court date a few times and hopefully that'll throw the cop off.

if you ask for a reduction of the fine and drive anything better than a 92 camry, good luck... they usually will give you like 20 bucks off at best.

[donk.]

Timpo, is that you?

[GC8]

Take it from a guy who has some notorious fob friends speeding in ferrari's and lambos. just pay the fine. They've all tried the court route before and its a waste of time.

One guy tried to tell the judge he's a student and that its his dads ferrari. The judge told him his dad can pay for his fine hahaha.

These guys have heard it all. The only thing you can do is like the guys stated before, hope that the cop doesnt show. You can help yourself out a bit if you keep rescheduling the court date a few times and hopefully that'll throw the cop off.

if you ask for a reduction of the fine and drive anything better than a 92 camry, good luck... they usually will give you like 20 bucks off at best.

I hired the same lawyer twice for two tickets and he got it thrown out before the judge. It was back in the day when I wasn't so bright but i needed a clean record for work. In OP case just pay it :)

Second time the deal he told the cop was I would take a student driving course. I did and that was the end of it.

[hirevtuner]

just pay the fine and take it as a learning lesson
i think the speeding ticket scrubs out of your record after 10 years, correct me if I am wrong

[UnknownJinX]

If you are only going 5 over the speed limit, you can fight it easily, but then again, almost no cops will pull you over for just going 5 over.

Personally, I'd just accept it. At the very most, you can reduce the damage by a little bit, but forget about waiving the entire thing.

And for the people who said laser jammers, those are expensive, and you can potentially get a criminal offense(rather than a less severe traffic offense) if a cop find out. So not worth it.

[fliptuner]

if OP insisted getting a lawyer
why don't we just let him waste the time and money to see how
this situation goes.....
we are just the readers.....

Yup. Subbed for updates.

[Manic!]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PaoLy7PHwk

You really got nothing to lose except time.

[MG1]

Yup. Subbed for updates.

I'm still waiting for updates on danned's situation.

[dark0821]

IMO the only winner in this situation will be the lawyer you decide to go with.
It's a waste of everyone's time and money, except the lawyer, who is getting paid for it. The amount will definitely exceed the cost of the ticket and any other costs you think you are paying from this case.
I'm actually not even sure what or how you are fighting this? Are you planning to say "I'm pretty sure I wasn't speeding" and ... then see what they say?

reading OP's post, it seems he is okay with paying more than the ticket amount for lawyer fees.... I think he is more concerned about having a squeaky clean driving record.

[Mr.C]

How fast, allegedly, were you going?

And did they tag you in the 50 zone or in the 80 zone?

[PeanutButter]

Thanks for the tips and the PM's.

Long weekend is over, so I should be getting calls today from the few lawyers I contacted. I'll update you guys after that.

I was on Marine drive, driving east, one block past boundary. The speed limit was still 50km/h, So apparently I was going above 50km/h.

When I was pulled over, I was taken a back. I guess I was in a little bit of a shock. I didn't say one word to the officer. I gave her the license and insurance, and I don't even really remember what she told me.

I do remember her saying I need to slow down, but I don't even know if she told me how fast I was going. Then, before I knew it, she told me to sign this paper and I was off. The entire ride to work I was in a daze.

So, I don't even know how fast I was going, it was Saturday morning, I wasn't in a rush and like I said, "I didn't feel like I was speeding", but that doesn't mean crap in a court of law I know, but i do remember a car passing me on the right and he didn't get pulled over.

For personal reasons, I need my driving record somewhat clean. So if it's worth it, I will get a lawyer and see what they say. If it's not worth it, i'll pay the fine.

[murd0c]

what does it say on the ticket how fast you were going? If you were in a daze and not even able to speak with a officer when pulled over how do you know you were not speeding? Sounds like you are giving us complete BS and feel like an idiot for getting caught.

[PeanutButter]

what does it say on the ticket how fast you were going? If you were in a daze and not even able to speak with a officer when pulled over how do you know you were not speeding? Sounds like you are giving us complete BS and feel like an idiot for getting caught.

Where on the ticket does it tell you how fast you're going?
All I see is,
- Description of offences = Speed in municipality
- Section = 146 (1)
- Ticket Amount $196

No where on the ticket does it say how fast I was going?

Yup, you caught me. I'm feeding you a bunch of BS. I'm definitely an idiot. Sorry for wasting your time.

[radioman]

You should have the posted limit right beside the section number.

$196 is the 20-40 over range ins't it?

[Bouncing Bettys]

Not being aware of your speed indicates driving without due care and attention, something they frown upon.

I once tried bullshitting my way out of a ticket by claiming I didn't know the speed I was going because the speedometer only displays MPH (69 Beetle) and I wasn't sure how to convert to KPH. He saw right through that and said: "You should know how to operate a vehicle before driving it" or something to that effect. I only received a warning at least.

[GabAlmighty]

When I was pulled over, I was taken a back. I guess I was in a little bit of a shock. I didn't say one word to the officer. I gave her the license and insurance, and I don't even really remember what she told me.

I do remember her saying I need to slow down, but I don't even know if she told me how fast I was going. Then, before I knew it, she told me to sign this paper and I was off. The entire ride to work I was in a daze.


https://media.tenor.com/images/0489fb2f025d80cb993ac1e2712682fa/tenor.gif

[meme405]

Sounds like someone so "Dazed and confused" shouldn't be on the road.

People keep throwing this "Just fight it, what do you have to lose", or that old bullshit post about "fight every ticket to fuck over the court system".

Well let me show you how that is going to end up working out for you if you clowns keep up that ridiculous attitude:

B.C. moves to eliminate court trials for traffic violations (http://www.vancouversun.com/news/moves+eliminate+court+trials+traffic+violations/10953200/story.html)

Keep giving bullshit advice, and keep fighting tickets that you deserve and the government will just take that right away from you.

It's like having a child that doesn't listen, you just start taking shit away from them until they start to listen. Not to mention I am sick of the cost for fighting a ticket being only $25. The government needs to make this $100 or $200 so people with bullshit reasons like "I don't want this on my record" not only get laughed at by the judge, but also get a solid ass reaming so they learn from it. Also this would help pay for all the extra judges and shit they would need to power through all the cases and catch up.

[underscore]

The government needs to make this $100 or $200 so people with bullshit reasons like "I don't want this on my record" not only get laughed at by the judge, but also get a solid ass reaming so they learn from it.

Easy fix, start listing dispute failures on their record as well.

[Gh0st]

I just got a speeding ticket today... FML

$196 fine amount.. On marine drive.. So choked, I didn't even think I was speeding, I was going at a nice leisurely pace, but alas.

Has anyone fought a ticket before?

I want to get a lawyer because I don't want the points on my license.

Can someone recommend a lawyer? And do you know how much it would cost?

I do not want to fight the ticket myself.

Thanks

EDIT:

I found two lawyers that deal with defending tickets (off google) and i'll update the thread if anyone is curious once I find out more information.

I'm worried about my record long term and the ICBC premiums if you get too many points on your license.


You dispute it, hope the cop doesn't show up. If he does then say you're sorry, give a sob story, apologize, and ask for a discount.

If he doesn't show up you're off the hook.

The traffic violation stays on ICBC records for 4 or 5 years one of the two. So not "forever".

Get over it, move on and learn from the situation. Most of us have all been there.

[meme405]

You dispute it, hope the cop doesn't show up. If he does then say you're sorry, give a sob story, apologize, and ask for a discount.


See this is what I mean, why would the court give a discont for this, you wasted their time. I wish the court would just punish you for thinking your a special little snowflake and force you to pay more to cover all wasted resources on you.

[adambomb]

On Marine Drive, OP was most likely going atleast 75 km/h in a 50 zone.

Today was the first day of school. Cops have been advertising all week that they will be conducting speed traps in school zones and other areas all week. Slow down. Save your money.

:fullofwin:

[Mikoyan]

OP Sept 2nd: I just got a speeding ticket today... FML




I was on Marine drive, driving east, one block past boundary. The speed limit was still 50km/h, So apparently I was going above 50km/h.


Burnaby RCMP Posted: https://twitter.com/BurnabyRCMP/status/905193727840407553

Guess you were one of the 44 then. 96-125 kph were probably the excessives.

[bobbinka]

Yup, you caught me. I'm feeding you a bunch of BS. I'm definitely an idiot. Sorry for wasting your time.

Post up your dashcam footage so RS can help you figure out your speed

[UnknownJinX]

Today was the first day of school. Cops have been advertising all week that they will be conducting speed traps in school zones and other areas all week. Slow down. Save your money.

:fullofwin:

I just slow down to 30 kph, stick it into 2nd gear, and turn on cruise control.

Kinda nice that my RX-8 allows cruise control at 30 kph. My old Accord only engages cruise control above I think 40 kph, so you just have to be extra careful. The cruise control allows me to just cover the brake and pay more attention to what's around me and not having to mess with the throttle.

OP Sept 2nd:

Burnaby RCMP Posted: https://twitter.com/BurnabyRCMP/status/905193727840407553

Guess you were one of the 44 then. 96-125 kph were probably the excessives.

40 over the speed limit is considered excessive, and you get your car towed. There is a more expensive ticket if you go more than 60 over.

Thanks for all the tips, btw. I will watch myself next time in Vancouver.

[twitchyzero]

i do remember a car passing me on the right and he didn't get pulled over.

I wonder how many times traffic control has heard that line

were you going westbound? that's where 70 turns to 50...I always get tailgated there in the right lane going 60ish knowing they set up speed traps there

[AzNightmare]

OP's not interested in reducing the rates. Simply put, he wants a clean record.

The guy probably used up all his points in prior fines/tickets and this one's gonna push him over the edge.

He would get a lot less flack if he posted a legit reason like he's trying to be a bus driver or a taxi driver or something (not sure if those occupation require a clean record, but that's just an example) instead of sounding like a fucking pansy that's desparately trying to weasel out of a $200 ticket for something that pretty much has no long term affect.

[unit]

my employment lawyer charges $350/hr. hiring a lawyer ain't cheap. how much is a few points on your license worth to you?

[6o4__boi]

this thread is full of cringe

[Oscar_Binswood]

Where on the ticket does it tell you how fast you're going?
All I see is,
- Description of offences = Speed in municipality
- Section = 146 (1)
- Ticket Amount $196

No where on the ticket does it say how fast I was going?

Yup, you caught me. I'm feeding you a bunch of BS. I'm definitely an idiot. Sorry for wasting your time.

Unless you're disputing the offence and have the ticket thrown out, the JP won't be able to do anything about the points.

Since you were served the highest fine amount of $196, if it does go to court and you ask for fine reduction, it'll most likely be between the range of $138 - $196.

[sho_bc]

- The fine of $196 means the recorded speed was over 21km/hr above the speed limit (as has been mentioned).

- The lowest possible fine amount for "Speed in Municipality" (Section 146(1) MVA) is $138. It is the legislated minimum.

- The police officer can not reduce the fine amount. Only the Justice can reduce it. The police officer can only allege 1km/hr over the limit, if a "deal" is struck between him/herself and the driver, thus reducing the amount, or a Justice, upon feeling bad for the driver's sob story, can lower it to the legislated minimum ($138 for speeding between 1-40km/hr over the limit).

- The cost of a lawyer will be likely be beyond the cost of the ticket and likely beyond the associated costs of topping 4 penalty points. If you/the lawyer pleads not-guilty, there will be a trial. Trials are held after all matters for quick disposition (guilty pleas, calls of no evidence from Crown, etc), which can at times last a while - this depends on the court location and how many people are on the docket, among many other things. So you are paying for prep time (budget at least an hour) and up to several hours of court time. I have had a lawyer and his client still in the courtroom past 4:30pm, for a 1:30pm court time.

- If you decide to not attend, and simply send the lawyer on your behalf, be confident in the lawyer you chose. I wouldn't put it past a lawyer, having seen it, specifically choosing to be the last trial of the day, to make more money off of a client.

- If you're weary about the points because of having an "N" licence and not wanting to lose it due to previous tickets/points, having a lawyer could be the way to go as a hail mary move.

[bobbinka]

my employment lawyer charges $350/hr. hiring a lawyer ain't cheap. how much is a few points on your license worth to you?

That depends on how many points he already had prior to this ticket