The North Carolina Gaston County Courthouse hears the following citations issued in Belmont, Bessemer City, Cherryville, Cramerton, Dallas, Gastonia, Kings Mountain, Lowell, McAdenville, Mount Holly, and Stanley.
Speeding
Speeding tickets are charged as a class 3 misdemeanors (N.C.G.S. 20-141(j1)) or infractions (N.C.G.S. 20-141(b)), depending on the speed and speed limit charged. Most speeding tickets in Gaston County can be resolved without appearing in court if you have an attorney. Generally, an attorney can negotiate your case with an assistant district attorney (ADA) to avoid License and Insurance Points, depending on your driving history.
Gaston County limits the available outcomes for speeds of 90mph or more, and these cases must be handled in the trial courtroom. If your speed is below 100mph, you will not need to appear in court. Don’t risk trying to negotiate your case alone; we have the necessary experience in handling high speed cases in Gaston County.
Work zone speeding violations are charged under N.C.G.S. 20-141(j2) and carry mandatory fines of $250 in addition to court costs. However, we can appear in court for you and negotiate with the ADA in an effort to avoid Insurance Points, depending on your driving history.
Gaston County does allow for reductions for these offenses. While a Prayer for Judgment (PJC) is allowed for a school zone violation, it is usually not the best outcome for your case and many judges will not grant them anyway. Therefore it is ill-advised to simply pay this ticket in Gaston County since an attorney can typically successfully negotiate with the ADA.
Speeding in a School Zone
School zone violations are very similar to work zone violations and are charged under N.C.G.S. 20-141.1. Like work zone violations, school zone violations carry mandatory fines of $250 and we can appear in court for you to negotiate with the ADA. While PJCs can be used, they are usually not the best outcome, depending on your driving history. However, unlike work zone violations, speeding in a school zone will assess insurance points regardless of your driving history. Therefore, in Gaston County, it is best retain a knowledgeable attorney to guide you.
Reckless Driving
Reckless driving is a class 2 misdemeanor and is charged under two circumstances: 1) driving carelessly and heedlessly in willful or wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others (N.C.G.S. 20-140(a)) or 2) driving without due caution and circumspection and at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger or be likely to endanger any person or property (N.C.G.S. 20-140(b)). The difference stems from whether the charge was based on the actual recklessness of the driving (swerving, erratic lane changes, etc.) or based on a high rate of speed over the speed limit.
In Gaston County, we can negotiate with the ADA in an effort to dismiss the underlying speeding charge and preserve your license. You may be required to take a driving course in order to be eligible for such a reduction. We are experienced in negotiating these offenses in Gaston County to preserve your License and Insurance Points.
