Some tickets look trivial, yet they can put points on your license, push insurance rates up, and in certain cases turn out to be criminal charges. Paying first and asking questions afterward is a common mistake, since a payment can be treated as admitting the violation.
Our firm, Shazam Kianpour & Associates, represents drivers cited in Brighton and across Adams County for speeding, reckless driving, driving under restraint, and similar charges. Below is a look at how Colorado tickets operate and what to review before paying. The attorney profile describes the attorney’s background.
Read the ticket first
Cited in Brighton? Check the court date and any pay-by option printed on the ticket. Payment can add points. Talk with a lawyer before you choose.
The basic speeding rule, C.R.S. 42-4-1101, forbids driving faster than is reasonable and prudent. Exceeding a posted or default limit counts as evidence that the speed was unreasonable, though that evidence can be challenged. Most speeding tickets are traffic infractions. Going far above the limit is handled more severely and can be charged as a misdemeanor traffic offense, and construction zones raise the consequences further.
A fine schedule in C.R.S. 42-4-1701 increases with the number of miles over the limit, and construction and school zones double the penalties. Fines are only part of the cost, since a conviction can add points. Our pages on speeding and traffic violations offer more.
Points are assigned after a conviction under C.R.S. 42-2-127. How many you receive depends on the offense and, for speeding, on how far over the limit you were. Accumulating enough points inside a set period can lead to suspension. Younger drivers face lower thresholds, and drivers under 18 follow different rules.
Reckless driving requires wanton or willful disregard for safety, and careless driving becomes more serious if someone is injured or killed. Driving under restraint is usually an infraction, but it becomes a misdemeanor traffic offense when the restraint grew out of a DUI-type conviction.
Each ticket lists either a date to appear in court or a way to pay. A summons requires an appearance. A penalty assessment notice lets you pay by a stated date and also gives a later court date, yet it is unavailable for the most serious speeding. Paying a penalty assessment closes the ticket and counts as acknowledging liability, which means points can follow.
Contesting an infraction means a hearing before a county court magistrate, where the prosecution carries the burden of proving the violation beyond a reasonable doubt. If you skip a court date, a judgment can be entered against you.
Before a consultation, gather the ticket, any court notice, and your own notes on where and when you were stopped, including road conditions, signs, and what the officer said. Details like these can matter when the stop or the speed measurement is questioned.
We read the ticket and look at the stop, the method used to measure speed or judge conduct, and what the officer wrote. Then we explain how a plea or payment would affect points and your license. We also take DMV hearings. Outcomes differ from case to case, and no lawyer can promise one.
Some Brighton tickets go to Brighton Municipal Court, which hears traffic cases under city ordinances. Others go through the Adams County courts, where the District Attorney prosecutes traffic cases. Your summons names the court. More is on our Brighton criminal defense page.
Shazam Kianpour’s background and education appear in the attorney profile. Your first consultation is free. Reach us at (303) 825-1075 or through the contact form. The information here is general and does not replace legal advice.
Payment may close the matter, but it is treated as acknowledging liability and points can follow. Check the points for your speed and your record first.
It can. Going far over the limit may be charged as a misdemeanor traffic offense, construction zones increase the stakes, and reckless driving is a misdemeanor as well.
Not always, but a lawyer can tell you what paying would mean for points and insurance, and whether contesting it makes sense. A short conversation before you pay is often worth the time.
It depends on your age and record, and younger drivers have lower limits. A lawyer can tell you where you stand.
A judgment can be entered against you, and some offenses bring additional consequences. Contact a lawyer as soon as you notice.
Written by
Shazam KianpourDenver Criminal Defense Attorney & Founder, Shazam Kianpour & Associates, P.C.
