Fight Traffic Ticket in Nebraska

SUMMARY: How to Fight a Nebraska Traffic Ticket

To fight your NE traffic ticket, you'll likely need to submit your “not guilty" plea in court.

Check your traffic ticket for the date you must appear. If this information is not shown on your ticket, contact your Nebraska county court directly.

If you think you undeservedly received a traffic ticket AND have the means to prove it, keep reading to find out how you can fight your Nebraska traffic citation.

Pay Ticket
(Plead Guilty)

Learn more about
paying your traffic ticket »

Fight Ticket
(Plead Not Guilty)

  • Contest traffic ticket via trial.
  • Choose to represent yourself or hire an attorney.
  • Possibly lose option to plea bargain for lesser penalties.
  • No penalties if found guilty, but must pay court/attorney fees.
  • Option to take defensive driving to reduce points.

Learn more by reading below.

Plead Not Guilty to Your Nebraska Citation

To begin fighting your Nebraska traffic ticket, you'll need to EITHER:

  • Appear in court on the day scheduled on your citation (also known as arraignment) and enter a plea of not guilty.
    OR
  • Notify the Nebraska county court in charge of your case prior to the date of your arraignment.

Instructions on how and when to plead not guilty will be printed on your traffic ticket. If you're still unsure about how to notify the court of your intention to contest the citation, contact the NE county court responsible for your case.

If you've lost your ticket, refer to our guide on what steps to take after misplacing your NE traffic citation.

What Does It Mean to Plead Not Guilty?

Entering a “not guilty" plea essentially means you are prepared to contest to a judge that you have been wrongfully accused of a violation you did not commit, and you are accepting your right to prove that in court.

Before entering your plea, make sure you agree with the following—that you:

  • Can devote the necessary time to making court appearances.
  • Have legal proof of your innocence and the means to properly present it in court.
  • Understand points may be added to your record, possibly resulting in license suspension.
  • May face jail time, especially if you're convicted of a serious charge like DWI or DUI.

For more information, take a look at our When to Fight a Traffic Ticket page.

Fight Your NE Traffic Ticket in Court

Depending on the Nebraska county where you received your traffic ticket, the steps to fighting your citation in court could differ.

Generally, though, the process includes the following:

  • Pretrial conference: You'll meet with a state prosecutor to try and reach a plea agreement, preventing you from having to go to trial.
    • A plea agreement will require that you change your plea to guilty, in exchange for fewer penalties.
    • Taking a Nebraska S.T.O.P course to dismiss the charges may also be an option.
  • Trial: If you can't reach a plea agreement, you'll need to return to court and present your case (evidence, witnesses, statements) to the judge.
    • This is where you might consider hiring a traffic ticket attorney. If you can't afford one AND could face jail time, the court may assign a public defender to your case.
  • Verdict: The NE county court judge will decide if you're guilty or not guilty of the charges brought against you.
    • If convicted, the judge will then issue your sentence.
DMV.ORG TIP: Know How Tickets Impact Your Insurance

Once you plead guilty, your auto insurance rates could Increase substantially. Before entering a plea agreement, make sure you're fully informed on how traffic citations can affect your car insurance.

Consequences of Contesting a Ticket

There are several different positive and negative consequences you could face as a result of fighting your Nebraska traffic ticket.

What If I Lose?

Depending on the severity of your charges, once you lose your traffic ticket case (i.e. the judge convicts you), the penalties you'll endure could be any of the following:

  • Fines.
  • Points added to your driving record.
  • Community service.
  • License suspension.
  • Jail time.

NOTE: According to federal law, commercial drivers MUST notify their employers within 30 days of receiving a conviction.

DMV.ORG TIP: Consider a Defensive Driving Course

In some cases, Nebraska allows you to earn a point credit to your driving record, helping protect you from increased insurance rates AND license suspension. Learn more on our NE Defensive Driving guide.

What If I Win?

In the happy event that the NE county court judge finds you not guilty:

  • All traffic charges will be dropped.
  • You won't have to pay any fines or endure any penalties.
  • Your insurance rates won't increase.
  • Points won't be added to your driving record.

It's crucial that you check your driving record to ensure that it is accurate and that your violation doesn't appear. Errors on your record could lead to major consequences, all the way up to losing your driver's license.

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