[tonycarreon]

if it's like any other town/municipality in the country, they'd rather have money.

call the DA of the issuing authority and ask about deferred adjudication (or deferred dispensation) and ask it to be dismissed. tell them you had just purchased the car and was just beginning to get the feel for the thing. if they're like everyone else i've dealt with, they're more than happy to take a little extra money (court costs + ticket cost) and not have to go to traffic court. as long as you don't get another ticket within 1 year, they'll dismiss the charges.

arguing with the officer will get you nowhere. he can claim in court you were belligerent. it doesn't matter if everyone else was going faster than you were, you were the one who got pulled over. maybe it's not fair, but that's how it is.

the key is to be nice, like you're made of sugar with honey on top. they get so many calls with people upset about how they were singled out, or how the cop was out to get them, or how it's not fair, or waaahh-waahh they have no desire to "help" since they'll most likely get a conviction anyway. you've already admitted you were speeding. that ship has sailed.

that's pretty much all a lawyer is going to do, and charge you another $500 to make the phone call.