With the changes in speeding laws (making 26mph and over a Class B misdemeanor, and 40mph and over a Class A misdemeanor). As a result of this, I have received many new clients being charged with these more serious speeding misdemeanors.
Here are three cases (I have handled many more) and how I resolved them.
I represented a person for speeding 89mph in a 45mph zone. The ticket was issued by a IL State Trooper and I had the case set for trial. The trooper was present in court. I was able to dispose of the ticket with my client paying $300.00 in fines and court costs without any jail time. He could have been sentenced up to 1 year. However, my client did no community service or traffic school. My client received court supervision.
In the second case, my client was speeding 87mph in a 55mph zone. A trial was held on the first court date and the Judge ruled that he believed my client was speeding but not 87mph. The judge found him guilty of speeding 25mph over the limit. The Judge placed my client on court supervision, and ordered him to pay a $100.00 fine. No community service and no traffic school.
In the third case, the Judge granted my motion for a directed finding and found my client guilty of a lesser offense of speeding 25mph over the limit. Additionally, the Judge ordered him to pay a fine of $240.00 and placed him on court supervision.
In each case, my client did not receive a misdemeanor, but rather a regular speeding ticket and court supervision. Court supervision is NOT a conviction, so the ticket will NOT go on a person’s Illinois driver’s abstract (record).