What Can I Expect with My Traffic Case in Albemarle County?

Traffic cases are heard in Albemarle County on Monday and Friday mornings and Tuesday afternoons. If you received your ticket on Interstate 64, you were probably pulled over by a Virginia State Trooper. If you were pulled over on Route 29 or other county highways and roads, you probably got your ticket from a county police officer.

Who Is the Judge?

Your Albemarle County traffic case will be heard by Judge William Barkley. He has been presiding in Albemarle for many years and has fairly predictable traffic court policies.

Reckless Driving Tickets

If you're charged with reckless driving in Albemarle County, Judge Barkley will sometimes reduce the ticket to a simple speeding ticket if it's less than twenty miles per hour over the speed limit. So if you were stopped on Interstate 64 for reckless driving by speed for going 86 miles per hour, there's a good chance that Judge Barkley will reduce the ticket to simple speeding 86 in a 70.

However, if you were going twenty or more over the speed limit, it's unlikely Judge Barkley will reduce your ticket.

Speedometer Calibrations

Judge Barkley considers speedometer calibrations in reckless driving and speeding cases. A speedometer calibration can help get your ticket reduced. However, Judge Barkley requires you to use the following magic words, "I was relying on my speedometer." If you don't use those words or if you told the officer that you weren't paying attention to your speedometer, he will not consider the speedometer calibration.

Driving School/Driving Improvement Courses

Judge Barkley does not consider driving improvement courses. If you complete a driving improvement course before court, Judge Barkley will not give that any consideration. If you offer to complete a driving improvement course to get your ticket reduced or dismissed, Judge Barkley will refuse to consider it. It's simply a waste of time to try to discuss the merits of driving school in Albemarle County General District Court.

Speeding Tickets

If you've been charged with speeding in Albemarle County, Judge Barkley does not consider a clean driving record, driving school, or most other considerations. He will convict you as charged unless you can show that your speedometer was incorrect. If your speedometer was incorrect, he will reduce the ticket only by the amount the speedometer was off. In the vast majority of cases, 99.9%, it is a waste of time to come to court for a speeding ticket in Albemarle County. My advise is to pay it online.