Speeding ticket - freaking out

toomanyquestions

5-Year Member
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I think I may have ruined everything. I accepted a four year AROTC scholarship to begin this fall. Last night I got a speeding ticket. What does this mean for me in terms of my scholarship?
 
I think you just need to make sure you report it to the cadre. Should not be a big deal, but you must tell them about it.
 
I think I may have ruined everything. I accepted a four year AROTC scholarship to begin this fall. Last night I got a speeding ticket. What does this mean for me in terms of my scholarship?

If it was for <$250, then you should only get a little talk from the cadre when you report it (yes, you need to report it). If it is >$250 then, you may have some issues here. You may want to look at your legal options here, because this gets into the "revoke your scholarship" realm.
 
If it was for <$250, then you should only get a little talk from the cadre when you report it (yes, you need to report it). If it is >$250 then, you may have some issues here. You may want to look at your legal options here, because this gets into the "revoke your scholarship" realm.

I haven't been able to find out how much the fine is. Each town sets it's own rates here and it was a small town. The court date isn't until mid-June. Is there a time line? Should I call the unit on Monday or wait until I have more information such as dollar amount?
 
I haven't been able to find out how much the fine is. Each town sets it's own rates here and it was a small town. The court date isn't until mid-June. Is there a time line? Should I call the unit on Monday or wait until I have more information such as dollar amount?

Most jurisdictions have the rate schedule on the back of the ticket, but I guess yours doesn't.

There should be a phone number on ticket to find out what the specifics on the ticket are (how to request a court date, etc.). You should be able to call that number Monday and give them the specifics of the ticket (what ordinance number was cited, how fast, etc.) They should tell you how much. I would wait until I completed that phone call to`call your cadre, so you can fill them in on the fine.

If they cannot tell you until they process the ticket (could happen) and it will be more than the end of the day, I would contact cadre and let them know the nature of the ticket (45 in a 35 zone or whatever it is) and that you are waiting notice from your town as to the level of the fine. That keeps you square with your cadre for the time being.

If you are still a minor, your parents may have to call the court on your behalf depending upon the jurisdiction.
 
I haven't been able to find out how much the fine is. Each town sets it's own rates here and it was a small town. The court date isn't until mid-June. Is there a time line? Should I call the unit on Monday or wait until I have more information such as dollar amount?

Didn't you receive a ticket which (1) indicated the infraction, and (2) gave you the right to either (a) plead guilty and pay a specified fine or (b) plead innocent and appear in court? You haven't declared your innocence, so I'm assuming you accept culpability.

Until the matter has been adjudicated one way or the other, you don't have anything to report to the cadre, in my opinion.

Unless you were doing 75 in a 35 mph zone, you probably haven't endangered your scholarship. However, you need to avoid other problems going forward. High school graduation parties are magnets for trouble.
 
Didn't you receive a ticket which (1) indicated the infraction, and (2) gave you the right to either (a) plead guilty and pay a specified fine or (b) plead innocent and appear in court? You haven't declared your innocence, so I'm assuming you accept culpability.

Until the matter has been adjudicated one way or the other, you don't have anything to report to the cadre, in my opinion.

Unless you were doing 75 in a 35 mph zone, you probably haven't endangered your scholarship. However, you need to avoid other problems going forward. High school graduation parties are magnets for trouble.

I agree that you are not required to report tickets until they are adjudicated, but this is more about building a trusting relationship. Showing that you are upfront with issues from the getgo is never a bad strategy. Bad news doesn't get better with age.

And you'd be surprised how big of a fine you can get for a small infraction (it is the amount of the fine that gets you in trouble with CC, not the speed you were traveling). Let's say $160 for 11 over on an interstate almost a decade ago. Imagine it could be over $200 today. Small towns balance their budgets on large fines sometimes...
 
I agree that you are not required to report tickets until they are adjudicated, but this is more about building a trusting relationship. Showing that you are upfront with issues from the getgo is never a bad strategy. Bad news doesn't get better with age.

And you'd be surprised how big of a fine you can get for a small infraction (it is the amount of the fine that gets you in trouble with CC, not the speed you were traveling). Let's say $160 for 11 over on an interstate almost a decade ago. Imagine it could be over $200 today. Small towns balance their budgets on large fines sometimes...

Goaliedad is correct that $250 is a threshold for possible ineligibility. The following is from Cadet Command Reg. 145-1, which governs Army ROTC scholarships:

2-11. Scholarship Ineligibility.
The following students are ineligible to
compete for or receive benefits from an
Army ROTC scholarship:

d. A student who has an adverse
juvenile adjudication or has been arrested,
indicted, or convicted by a civil court or
military law for other than minor traffic
violations (for which a fine or forfeiture of
$250 or less was imposed) unless a waiver
is granted. The student must submit a
request for waiver of convictions at the
time of application.

My 75 mph in a 35 mph zone example was an attempt to illustrate a serious infraction, compared to, say, going 61 in a 60 mph zone (which Mrs. Delahanty was once ticketed for). You should be aware that waivers are possible and have been granted in the past.
 
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I think I may have ruined everything. I accepted a four year AROTC scholarship to begin this fall. Last night I got a speeding ticket. What does this mean for me in terms of my scholarship?

Relaaaaax. You're fine.

Pay the fine (or fight the ticket). Tell the cadre. The end.

A bunch of us have gotten traffic tickets while in ROTC. It's okay. I got one, told my instructor and he just went right back to work. As long as they're just simple tickets, it's all good.

Edit to add: Friend of mine commissioned yesterday and he racked up 32 parking tickets while he was in school.
 
I think I may have ruined everything. I accepted a four year AROTC scholarship to begin this fall. Last night I got a speeding ticket. What does this mean for me in terms of my scholarship?
You in all probability didn't screw up anything - unless booze was involved in the ticket.Just go talk to the Det Admin NCO. You will undoubtedly have to be counselled by someone in the chain of command and the pms will probably have to submit a waiver based on that but nobody is going to yank a scholarship from an 18year old over a simple speeding ticket- or even a major speeding ticket. Just report it and report the circumstances honestly.
 
I agree with everything that has been stated. Report it.
I would also add that legal counsel may be able to get the charges and/or fine reduced. Since much hangs on the quantity of the fine it would behoove you to make this investment in legal counsel. Even if charges are reduced, you need to report the whole story, including the original charge, to the cadre.

I would also plan on showing up in court. Each jurisdiction is different. In jurisdictions in which I have lived, if this is the first offense, you could usually get the ticket reduced to 9 miles over the speed limit. You still faced the fine but that kept the state from reporting the ticket to your insurance company (which is another consideration you need to worry about). However, you needed to show up and speak with the DA to make this happen. Sending in a plea didn't do it. Of course, your situation is going to vary and the lawyers in your area will know best how to proceed.
 
I think I may have ruined everything. I accepted a four year AROTC scholarship to begin this fall. Last night I got a speeding ticket. What does this mean for me in terms of my scholarship?

toomanyquestions, different jurisdictions adjudicate tickets differently. In the counties where I practice, assuming the speed is not more than 20 miles over the speed limit, and that you have a clean driving record, most local courts are willing to reduce the ticket out of the "speeding" infraction, and will work with a defendant on the fine if the Court is aware of circumstances such as this. That's not true everywhere. I urge you to speak with an attorney who regularly practices in the court where you'll answer the ticket. Also, urge you to make sure you've told your parents. Yes, you're an adult at this point but the repercussions are too important for them not to know.
 
My DS got a Ticket for 10 MPH over right After his AFROTC Interview. It was Not reduced. Wie Sent the Ticket into the detachment. Much worrying was done but he still was accepted. Word from the der was it was Not a Killer as Long as there was nö Miss-Conduct Pattern. Good luck
 
My DS got a Ticket for 10 MPH over right After his AFROTC Interview. It was Not reduced. Wie Sent the Ticket into the detachment. Much worrying was done but he still was accepted. Word from the der was it was Not a Killer as Long as there was nö Miss-Conduct Pattern. Good luck
 
Just some follow-up to some of the things said here.

There was no alcohol or reckless driving involved. The ticket was for more than 10 over in a 55 mph zone but I know I wasn't going as fast as the officer stated. I had just come off a full stop and he pulled me over after only a few hundred yards - in my mom's old mini van.

Yes, I have told my parents. One of my mother's friends is an attorney and I am going to speak to him on Monday. In our state, you can do a deferred ajudication, take a driving class and the violation goes off your record if you stay clean for a certain amount of time. My parents want me to take that route since it doesn't go on the insurance that way. But I need to find out how much the fine is first. Hopefully under $250 but it's a small town. The ticket did not have an amount or a table. I will call the court on Monday to see what I can find out. It didn't have a court date either, just to appear "on or before June 10".
 
I have had 2 speeding tickets and 1 passing a school bus ticket (long story). I'm heading off to Max 3 in three weeks. YOU ARE FINE. I REPEAT, YOU ARE FINE.

The biggest thing is that you tell your cadre. You will fill out a form, life will go on. Done deal.
 
I was stupid in high school and got a serious ticket, (actually it was a gross misdemeanor reckless driving charge) then subsequently had my attorney knock it down to a $250 fee and a driving class. I brought the court docket to my ROO and never heard about it again. If I was able to continue then there is NO reason why they would take your scholarship away. You guys worry way TOO much, I would be more uneasy about starting college and keeping my GPA up then a simple ticket.

That is also the only time I have been pulled over in 8 years....
 
Yeah, a speeding ticket will not affect your scholarship. If it results in an actual charge where you are convicted.
 
ticket update

I just wanted to update this thread. I was very fortunate and the ticket was dismissed. In the meantime, I have tried unsuccessfully to reach someone at the ROTC office at the university. I have left several messages but have not been able to speak to anyone. At this point, since the ticket has been dismissed, I am inclined to wait until I get there in August and give all of the information to the cadre. Of course, if anyone calls me back from my voice mail messages, I will give all the details. It just seems weird to keep calling to tell them about a ticket that has now been dismissed. :confused:
 
I just wanted to update this thread. I was very fortunate and the ticket was dismissed. In the meantime, I have tried unsuccessfully to reach someone at the ROTC office at the university. I have left several messages but have not been able to speak to anyone. At this point, since the ticket has been dismissed, I am inclined to wait until I get there in August and give all of the information to the cadre. Of course, if anyone calls me back from my voice mail messages, I will give all the details. It just seems weird to keep calling to tell them about a ticket that has now been dismissed. :confused:

Thanks for the update. You probably dodged a bullet there and I'm sure that won't happen again. Sounds like you've made your best effort to notify the cadre so I agree with waiting, unless of course they return your calls. Good luck and safe driving! :thumb:
 
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