Fighting your traffic ticket in Rhode Island. Speeding ticket in rhode island. Rhode island traffic ticket lookup. Rhode island speeding ticket. How to pay a ticket online rhode island.
Rhode Island Traffic Ticket
Receiving a traffic ticket in Rhode Island comes with all negative impacts on your records. Rhode Island is among the few states which do not use a point system to monitor driver. However, the traffic department monitors all drivers’ habits. After receiving several violation tickets, the law will suspend your license for a certain period. The violations also attract hefty fines which should be payable before the due date. If pulled over by a traffic officer in RI, you will likely receive a traffic ticket. You can opt to pay or fight the ticket in court.
Speeding Ticket in Rhode Island
How to Pay A Ticket Online Rhode Island
Options if You Receive A Traffic Violation Ticket
- Pay your traffic ticket.
Paying a traffic ticket is the easiest trick to avoid courts and proceed with everyday routines. However, paying the fine means admission of guilt. The violation will reflect on your driving records for three years. You can pay the fine through:
- Online method
- By mail
- In-person
- By phone.
The tickets will have a negative impact in the future if the driver accumulates three violation tickets in 12 months. You have to appear to the Rhode Island traffic tribunal, which can lead to license suspension. If the driver gets four tickets within 18 months, the law will have harsh penalties and more extended suspension period.
Requesting for Ticket dismissal Due to Good Driving Records
The RI general law gives drivers the authority to request for ticket dismissal. The driver’s good records will determine whether the request is acceptable. The excellent record driving is only applicable for drivers who don’t have any moving violation on the records. In the past three years and must appear at any of your hearing.
Appearing at the RI traffic tribunal or local municipal court to fight for the violation ticket
The traffic ticket has information about the fine, court date and which court to appear. There are several details about the court as follows:
- Mandatory Court Appearance
Rhode Island traffic laws are strict and require everyone to adhere to avoid greater consequences. Drivers who receive three summons within one year cannot request any plea by mail. They have to appear in court (tribunal or municipal court).You’re not allowed to pay any charges by mail until you appear in court. More violations will lead to license suspension where the period depends on the violations.
- An Arraignment
The arraignment happens at the local municipal court or the tribunal court. The offender will find the time, date and type of court where they need to appear. The police officer who issued the ticket will appear in court to arraign you. The clerk will call your name, and the officer will bring you forward. The judge will read the violation which you can opt to plead guilty or not guilty.
For a guilty plea, the judge will give a verdict which is either fine or license suspension. Not guilty plea, the defendant will be given a new trial date.
- Trial Date
Once you plead not guilty, you will get another hearing date; you need to appear in court. The police officer who issued the ticket needs to appear as well. During the trial, several things can happen.
- First, the police officer might not appear in court, which can lead to ticket dismissal.
- The police officer can appear, but you can agree without having the trial.
- No agreement is reached and has to go for trial.
If the officer doesn’t appear in court, your lawyer can request ticket dismissal. The judge will dismiss on bases of lack of prosecution. After the dismissal, you will not pay any fine or damage your driving records.
Agreement with Officer
The police officer might appear, and you can make a fair deal, this is called disposition. These include dismissal of the ticket by the officer (26A in traffic court). You can also have the following:
- Dismissal of the ticket after completing the community service.
- Make charitable contributions
- Reduction in fine.
- Driver retraining.
Now, after the agreement, you will appear before the judge and present the disposition. The judge will approve or deny the disposition. The court will either give a different hearing date or close the case.
No Agreement/trial
If the driver and officer disagree, the court will proceed with the trial. The officer will testify and give information about happened. They can have a witness and evidence about the violation. You will then examine the officer and the witness (if any). Now you can testify and provide you side of the story. You cannot give any evidence, if you’re found innocent, no charges or records are kept. For guilty verdict, you will pay the fines and any other costs.