As a Class 3 misdemeanor, Criminal Speeding Can Be a Serious Offense.
Although excessive speeding may seem like a minor violation, it’s still considered a criminal offense and, if convicted you may need to disclose that you have been charged with a misdemeanor crime on job and housing applications, which is why it’s crucial to hire an experienced criminal speeding attorney to help you fight your charges.
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At JacksonWhite Law, we have reduced thousands of Criminal Speeding misdemeanors in the Phoenix metro and the surrounding areas in Arizona down to a basic civil violation and may even be able to get your criminal speeding violation charges dismissed completely. We offer free case evaluations to understand the circumstances around your charges and build the strongest possible defense. You can contact us today for your free consultation.
What is criminal speeding in Arizona?
In Arizona, speeding can fall into one of two categories: civil violations or criminal speeding. Civil speeding occurs when you violate the definitions of reasonable and prudent speeds as outlined in ARS 28-701. However, in instances of criminal speeding, sometimes referred to as excessive speeding, charges are much harsher.
There are three ways to get charged with criminal speeding in Arizona, each with its own penalties and definitions. JacksonWhite Law will support you in all of the following instances. Each charge comes with its own circumstances, so our approach to defending you will differ depending on the charge you received.
Keep in mind that any of these charges can be combined with other offenses, like reckless driving, that can increase your penalties even further.
Exceeding 85 miles per hour no matter the speed limit
Even if you’re driving on a rural freeway or interstate highway, you can be charged with criminal speeding if you’re exceeding 85 miles per hour. We see this quite often—most drivers on the I-17, I-40 and I-10 have used speeds in excess of 85 miles per hour. Even Arizona’s rural freeways like the 101, 202, SR 51 move very quickly and oftentimes drivers may travel in excess of 85 mph just to keep up with the flow of traffic.
Whatever your reasons for exceeding 85 mph, our team here at JacksonWhite can build a defense strategy that can get these charges reduced or dismissed. We will support you in crafting a defense against these charges, including arguing the need for an increased speed, casting doubt around the evidence presented by the officer, and advocating for reduced charges due to the circumstances.
Exceeding the posted speed limit by 20 miles per hour
Traveling at more than 20 miles per hour over any speed limit in the state is considered criminal speeding. If the speed limit in Phoenix is 55 mph, for example, then traveling 75 mph or more in that zone would be excessive speeding. You can also be charged with excessive speeding in a residential or business area when you’ve exceeded 45 mph and there are no speed limits posted.
Many times we have seen officers reduce the speed of the ticket to 19 mph over the posted speed limit just to avoid giving criminal speeding tickets. If you weren’t lucky enough to get pulled over by one of these more generous officers, you may face a criminal speeding charge.
Our team at JacksonWhite Law can support you in contesting potential criminal charges by taking steps like challenging the evidence used to charge you, questioning the officer’s testimony, arguing the circumstances around the need for an increased speed, and more.
Exceeding 35 miles per hour in a school zone
School zones have a strict 15 mph speed limit throughout the state to protect students. However, most of the school zone criminal speeding cases we see occur when a driver isn’t aware that a school crossing is approaching, and may be traveling at what they consider to be “normal” speeds. This is even more common when school is in session and there aren’t any children present on or near the sidewalks or street.
If the school zone was unclear or there are any doubts surrounding the methods used to clock your speed, our team can use this to your defense with the goal of getting your charges reduced or dismissed entirely. We’ll take a look at all the facts surrounding your case to secure the best possible outcome.
What are the Penalties for Criminal Speeding in Arizona?
The penalties for criminal speeding are serious. Depending on the level of your offense, you could face the following penalties without the support of an experienced attorney:
- Up to $500 in fines
- Up to 30 days in jail
- A class 3 misdemeanor on your permanent record
The penalties will depend on the level of the offense and if there were other offenses involved, like a DUI or a hit-and-run. However, the potential consequences don’t end there. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your stop, you can also face the following penalties:
- If you were arrested during the traffic stop, you’ll have to pay to have your car retrieved from where it was towed, and there may be other surcharges involved.
- The Arizona Motor Vehicle Department adds three points for a criminal speeding traffic ticket, and if you get more than 13 points in one year, your license can be suspended. The more points you collect in a year, the greater the suspensions you face.
- Additionally, your car insurance provider could increase your premiums, meaning you’ll pay more for the same coverage. These increases often last months or years, so you could be paying for your speeding ticket for much longer than you thought.
Considering these punishments, a criminal speeding ticket can be costly without the support of an experienced attorney. Consulting one of our criminal defense attorneys at JacksonWhite Law can help you strengthen your defense and minimize your chances of facing the harshest penalties under the law.
Standard speeding tickets are automatically cleared from your motor vehicle record after a period of time. Unfortunately, criminal speeding offenses are not automatically cleared in Arizona, and misdemeanor and felony convictions remain on your record indefinitely. This makes it even more important to consult a criminal speeding attorney who can represent you in building a strong defense.
How JacksonWhite Helps You Beat a Criminal Speeding Case
Don’t confuse a criminal speeding ticket with a normal traffic ticket, these rarely can be beaten if you go at it alone. Considering the risks of a misdemeanor charge, it’s simply not worth it to try and defend yourself in front of the court. Police officers and prosecutors have plenty of experience in the courtroom, giving them the upper hand.
Working with a skilled and experienced criminal defense attorney gives you a much greater chance of receiving reduced charges, as they can use their experience and learned strategies to build an effective defense. If you hire the JacksonWhite team, here are a few of the defense strategies we can take depending on your case:
- Poke holes in how the officer obtained your speed, whether they used pacing, radar or Lidar. We can claim miscalibration or misuse of tools the officer was using to obtain your speed.
- Show the prosecutor they don’t have the burden of proof needed for a conviction.
- Humanize you and your situation. Most of our criminal speeding clients are professionals or students who have never been in any kind of legal trouble. Oftentimes the circumstances as to why they were speeding may impact charges being reduced or dismissed.
Every case is different, so our approach will differ depending on the case as well. During our initial case review, we’ll use our experience to consider the best possible defense for your specific situation. We’ll take the time to understand the unique circumstances of your case so that we cover all our bases. Contact us today to get started.
What Possible Outcomes Can You Expect If You Hire JacksonWhite?
Many circumstances can affect your outcome, which is why we offer a free consultation to see if we think we can help you get the best outcome for your case. With the information we gather from our initial case review, we’ll take steps to build a defense that increases the chances of reducing your criminal speeding charges.
Using our experience and vast skill set, we have been able to achieve some of the following outcomes we have gotten for our clients facing the same charges:
- Reduced penalties or fines
- Dismissal with defensive driving school
- Voluntary dismissal from the state or prosecution
- Reduced to a civil traffic ticket
- Negotiated to community service
- Negotiated to non-moving violation
Without the support of an experienced attorney, you put yourself at risk of facing the harshest penalties under the law. The severity of the charges can make it difficult to defend yourself without the right resources and experience. Plus, police officers and prosecutors have extensive experience in prosecuting individuals charged with speeding, putting you at a disadvantage as soon as you step into the courtroom.
Our attorneys have helped a variety of clients in criminal speeding cases. In one case, we had a client who was charged with criminal speeding in an employer vehicle and was concerned about a misdemeanor resulting in her termination and affecting her future employment. By using our experience to cast doubt on the methods the officer used to collect her speed, we were able to get her criminal charges dropped completely.
We can help you too. With an initial consultation, we can better understand the circumstances surrounding your case, determine the best path forward, and build the strongest possible defense.
Turn to JacksonWhite Law for Support in Your Criminal Speeding Case
A criminal speeding ticket is a serious charge, and it takes a skilled and experienced lawyer to beat it. With the severe penalties involved, it’s not worth the consequences of having this mark on your record, so finding the right attorney can make all the difference.
At JacksonWhite Law, we’re invested in protecting your rights, and we’re here to support you in avoiding the harshest penalties and securing the best possible outcome. Our criminal defense team can help you reduce your penalties and fines, reduce your charge to a civil speeding violation, or get your speeding offense completely dismissed. During a free consultation, we’ll work to understand the details of your case and build the best possible defense strategy.
Call the JacksonWhite Criminal Law team at (480) 467-4370 for a free consultation on your case today.
