Were you clocked driving too fast? If so, you should know that in most states this is a class one misdemeanor. You can be fined up to $2,500, given twelve months in jail, and lose your driving privileges for six months.

Here's the great news: you can defend and beat your speeding ticket! Judges have a lot of discretion in these reckless driving cases. If you play your cards right, you can walk out of court with your charge dismissed. Wouldn't that be cool?

Your first step on the road to beating that speeding ticket is to hire a lawyer. It may seem outrageous, but there's no substitute to hiring an experienced traffic attorney. He'll know the peculiarities of the local traffic judges, and he'll be able to navigate the legal points for you. There's already enough weighing on your mind; hire a lawyer to help.

The next step is to get a copy of your Department of Motor Vehicles record. You and your attorney need to know what previous charges are on your record. This is critical for negotiating with the judge. You can order a certified copy of your 11-year driving record from the Department of Motor Vehicles online for $13.

Third, your attorney might advise you to get your SPEEDOMETER CALIBRATED. If you are accused of speeding relatively close to the reckless driving line, then a calibration could be the key to victory. If you can show the judge that your speedometer did not show you as going too fast, the charge can be reduced or dismissed completely.

Fourth, your attorney might have you take a driver safety class. This can be used to bargain with the judge and hopefully get your charge reduced. But if you've taken a driver safety class in the previous two year period, this isn't an option for you.

From here, you just have to attend court and do what your attorney says. The great news is that everything will be over soon. You'll go to court, enter your plea, have a trial that takes less than five minutes, and be done!