Remote hearings are possible. But only under certain circumstances.
Payable Tickets
If you’ve received a payable ticket, such as a speeding ticket, you can simply pay the fine and you will not have to appear in court. If you pay the fine, you are admitting guilt, and any points associated with the ticket will be placed on your driving record.
On the other hand, if you would like to contest the payable ticket, you will have to respond within 30 days. If you do contest the ticket, you will be expected to appear in person on your court date.
If you would like to request a remote hearing for your payable ticket, you would need to complete and file form CC-DC-110.
What are the chances of getting a remote hearing on a payable ticket.
Your request for a remote hearing will go before a judge for approval. Your chances of having your request granted will be decided by the merits of your particular situation. For instance, simply saying you are not comfortable with morning traffic may not gain much sympathy and your request may very well get denied. On the other hand, if you have a disability which would make it difficult for you to attend in person, your chances for approval may increase. If you are declaring a disability as your reason for not appearing in person, then you would also need to file form CC-DC-049.
As an alternative to a remote hearing, you may want to consider hiring a lawyer to appear in your place.
A licensed traffic attorney can appear on your behalf for a payable ticket. You would have to decide if it’s worth the cost of retaining a lawyer to appear for you. The benefits would be: not missing work; not having to drive to court; having a skilled lawyer who can negotiate your ticket.
What about appearing remotely for a must appear traffic ticket?
A must appear traffic citation may result in jail time. Requesting a remote hearing on a must appear charge is a complicated issue. To begin with, you would probably want to seek the prosecutor’s position on your request. To be candid, you will most likely need a compelling excuse for a remote appearance on a jailable offense. The reason being, if your charge results in jail time, the Court will most likely want you there in person so that the bailiff can take you into custody.
Benefits of hiring a traffic lawyer to appear for you on a payable ticket:
Legal Knowledge – Having a highly trained legal professional. Someone who understands the specifics of traffic violation law and also each local county court system.
Specific Experience – A skilled ticket lawyer is well versed in traffic law. Most lawyers concentrate on only a few areas. For instance, an estate planning lawyer may not understand Maryland traffic law. A lawyer unfamiliar with traffic matters may not get you a favorable outcome.
A Skilled Negotiator – A good lawyer can negotiate with the State prosecutor (or law enforcement). A skilled legal samurai knows how to obtain a favorable outcome. And possibly even have the charges dismissed.