Plead No Contest Or Guilty On Speeding Ticket In Arizona
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Arizona courts typical prescribe a defensive driving course as a prelude to dismissing minor civil traffic violations, including speeding. Upon the successful completion of a court-approved defensive driving course, individuals can have their speeding tickets dismissed.
No-contest clauses are generally permissible in Arizona for wills (A.R.S. §14-2517) and trusts (A.R.S. §14-10113). However, in Arizona, any beneficiary with “probable cause” for a contest will not have a no-contest clause enforced against them.
A plea of no contest may be accepted only after the court gives due consideration to the parties' views and to the interest of the public in the effective administration of justice.
Both are treated as guilty pleas. The main advantage to a no contest plea is if you are potentially facing a civil matter as well, this plea doesn't have you making any admissions to be used against you. With a speeding ticket, very unlikely there's any practical difference in the plea for you.
Common Defenses Against Speeding Tickets Inaccurate Estimation of Speed by the Officer. Questioning the Officer's Vantage Point and Conditions During the Incident. Radar and Lidar Inaccuracies. Calibration and Maintenance Records of the Device. Operator Error or Improper Use of the Device. Driving to Avoid Harm or Danger.
Pleading guilty means you admit that you committed the crime. Pleading no contest (“nolo contendere”) means accepting the conviction but avoiding a factual admission of guilt.
You can later decide to change your plea to guilty or no contest if you wish. If you plead not guilty you will have a pretrial conference to try to settle your case. There is no penalty for pleading not guilty. Your sentence will not be more severe or less severe based merely on how you plead.
Both misdemeanor and felony convictions remain on your record indefinitely. A no-contest plea will result in a permanent criminal record for both types of offenses unless you successfully petition for expungement or an order of nondisclosure (sealing).
Always plead not guilty. If you plead guilty you are asking for points/higher fines. Never do that. You will receive a summons to traffic court and your driving abstract will be reviewed.
