A fair question- “should I pay my traffic ticket instead of trying to fight it in court?” To answer that question, I have to give you the lawyer answer, which is, it depends.
There are some citations which are payable and some citations that are not. It really depends on the court and the circumstances of your ticket and violation. Some courts do not allow you to pay for your violation which means you must come into court or hire an attorney to show up on your behalf. Other tickets like accident cases, hit and runs, and driving with no insurance also require a mandatory appearance in court. Some cases can have a fine amount you pay and then you can be done with that ticket hanging over your head.
Should you just pay your traffic ticket in New Orleans if it’s something like a speeding ticket? I would say don’t just pay your ticket, meaning you should show up on your court date for the ticket.
If your ticket is a moving violation and you pay it, you plead guilty to the violation and accept the consequences.
The ticket goes on your record, your insurance will likely be more expensive, and it may show up on professional background checks too. That speeding ticket is worth trying to reduce to a non-moving violation so it stays off your record.
If you have a ticket for no registration, no brake tag, or similar as a non-moving violation, these tickets are not as problematic to pay. They normally don’t impact your insurance rates or your ability to work a job where you drive for work like Uber or deliveries.
If you have a ticket, don’t ask yourself “can I just pay my ticket?” Ask yourself, “should I pay this ticket?” This can be the difference between some work now and some headaches and money later.
If you have a ticket and are unsure if you can just pay your ticket, feel free to shoot me a text at 504-535-LADY or 535-5239