Eric Skager Law can help you after getting a speeding ticket in North Carolina. Getting the ticket is actually only the start of the court process. From there, you have options—but only if you actually show up to court. If you don’t, bigger problems come up. One way or the other, my firm can help you. Set up a free consultation today.

How the Court Process Works After a Speeding Ticket

Before we talk about the problems that come up if you don’t show up to court after getting a speeding ticket in North Carolina, we first have to talk about how the court process works. Everything starts with actually getting stopped and ticketed.

But you only have to appear in court if you decide not to pay the ticket—which effectively means you plead not guilty. At that point, you:

• Look at the ticket for the hearing date, time, and location.

Once your hearing comes, the court expects you to show up. At that hearing, there’s usually a roadmap that involves:

• The judge reviewing the citation and basic facts
• You and the prosecution both present evidence
• Witness testimony could be offered from you and the police officer that stopped you
• The judge makes a decision based on all this

Basically, the court process works the same way as any other type of offense. The differences really lie in the circumstances and what you do—or don’t do.

What Happens If You Don’t Show Up to Court After a Speeding Ticket?

Although a speeding ticket and traffic court isn’t as serious as other crimes, it still unfolds in a courtroom before a judge. With that, it’s pretty obvious that not showing up is a serious thing. At the same time, we understand that life sometimes gets in the way. But if you don’t show up, you have to understand what the consequences are:

• Additional penalties and charges. Not showing up to court is treated as a Failure to Appear (FTA). This carries its own fines and penalties on top of your speeding ticket.
• License suspension. One of the first things that happens with an FTA (and a speeding ticket, under certain circumstances) is that the judge enters an order to the DMV to take action. That usually means your license gets suspended until you pay the speeding ticket. And if you try to drive while your license is suspended, you risk running into bigger issues if you’re stopped again.

The good news is that an FTA doesn’t automatically mean you’ve permanently lost your driving privileges. A lot of times, there’s steps you can take to fix the problem, including:

• Going back to court to ask that the FTA be cleared.
• Paying the underlying speeding tickets or fines.
• Paying a reinstatement fee through the DMV and clearing your driving record.

As you might expect, this is a lot of work. On top of what you’re already dealing with, it’s clear that it’s an easier route to take your medicine and show up on your court date for your speeding ticket. A major hangup a lot of people have, though, is that they feel like they’re going through the entire process alone. That’s not the case if you decide to work with our team.

Eric Skager Law Can Help You In Court After a Speeding Ticket in North Carolina

Getting a speeding ticket and missing your court date doesn’t automatically mean you need a lawyer. But as we’ve discussed, an FTA is a serious issue that can compound issues that come with your speeding ticket. Obviously, having a lawyer on your side can make the process much easier by:

• Figuring out whether a Failure to Appear has been entered in your case.
• Explaining any consequences affecting your license or driving record.
• Helping resolve the underlying speeding ticket.
• Working to take care of missed court dates and getting your case back on track.
• Guiding you through the court process of restoring your driver’s license.

Peace of mind is the biggest benefit to working with our team. Instead of you having to guess about what happens next, you’ll have a clear idea of your options and the steps you need to take to move forward. Whether you missed court last week or months ago, we’ll help you understand where you stand and what can be done to fix it.  Set up a free consultation today.