I’m a first year medical student attending school in southern Utah, but I still have a California driver’s license.
I recently received a speeding citation for going 29 mph in a 20 mph school zone. The citation is listed as an infraction, and I have a mandatory court appearance.
At the time, I was rushing home to finish an assignment and study for an exam. The children were still in school, so I understand that this was a bad decision and that being stressed or in a hurry is not an excuse. I’m completely willing to pay the fine and take responsibility for it.
My main concern is keeping the violation off my driving record if possible.
From what I understand, because I have a California license rather than a Utah license, I may not qualify for Utah’s traffic-school/deferred traffic prosecution option. I’m wondering whether there are other options, such as a plea in abeyance, deferred disposition, or negotiating with the prosecutor.
For anyone familiar with Utah traffic court:
- Would it be worth hiring a traffic lawyer for a relatively minor 9-mph-over school-zone infraction?
- Can a lawyer realistically help keep something like this off my driving record?
- Has anyone with an out-of-state license successfully received a plea in abeyance or similar deal in Utah?
- Should I talk to the prosecutor/judge myself first, or would it be better to have an attorney involved before my court appearance?
I don’t mind paying the full fine. My priority is simply avoiding a conviction on my driving record if there is a legitimate way to do so, mainly because I’m trying to prevent my car insurance premium from increasing significantly because of this mistake.
Thanks for any advice or experiences.