You are probably nervous when you go to traffic court to fight a ticket. Hopefully, you requested a trial and not a waiver hearing which requires the police officer to appear. Sometimes the officer fails to appear and you will get an acquittal if you plead not guilty.

However, if the officer is present in the courtroom, all is not lost. You can talk to the officer before court begins. In fact, in many cases you can negotiate with the police officer to get a better deal. Many police officers are receptive to making a deal although some will refuse to do so. You should always be polite and respectful when you approach the police officer.

For example, if you were charged with speeding doing 85 mph in a 65 mph zone, this is a 5 point ticket. The officer may be willing to amend your charge to speed greater than reasonable which is only 1 point.

If you received four tickets, the officer may agree to proceed only on one. The officer may even allow you to proceed on a citation that does not carry points. Attorneys attempt to negotiate a deal with the officer in many cases depending upon the charges.

Most judges will allow the police officer to drop or amend charges as a result of a deal. However, some judges will not allow it since the police officer is technically a witness and not a party to the case. The police officer will most likely know whether a particular judge will allow it.

Before negotiating, make sure that you know the points associated with each ticket. Your goal is to go forward on a ticket with the fewest points. The police officer will not be offended if you politely and reasonably try to negotiate a favorable deal.