I Got a Speeding Ticket Over a Year Ago and Still Haven’t Been to Court

This is the one good thing to come out of this pandemic.

I remember it like it was yesterday. I was driving on the Taconic southbound when I suddenly saw the flashing lights right behind me. It was January 2020 and life was normal then. The State Trooper came back with papers in hand after running my license and my heart sank: I got a speeding ticket.

Was I speeding? Of course not. So like anyone, I plead guilty to this ticket. For some reason, whenever I get a ticket (which has only been 3 times) I drop my ticket off in person at the courthouse. I want to make sure they get it and there's no dispute. I stopped by the Town of East Fishkill Court on the very last day possible to present my guilty plea. That was February 2020 at this point. I was told it would be "several months" before I heard anything about a court date...and that was pre-pandemic.

Fast forward about a month and we're in March 2020 and the pandemic has fully shut New York State down. Government buildings, which include courthouses, were all closed to the public. For me, that meant waiting even longer for my court date. But as things re-opened, I got the letter in the mail with my court date. The letter came in November calling me to court on December 1. Ugh, it was here.

But then, as if it were a miracle, I get another letter about 10 days before my court date, saying my appearance has been indefinitely postponed. They postponed my court date due to rising COVID-19 cases and the East Fishkill Court was once again closed to the public.

It's now February 2020, over a year ago since I was issued my ticket, and I still don't know when I'll be going to court. It's surprising they haven't pleaded me out through the mail. I've heard multiple stories of courts sending people a plea deal through the mail, typically no points and a fine. I'd be very okay with that! Is there a statute of limitations on a speeding ticket? How long does the court have to try this case? I have a lot of questions and can't get any answers. All I know is, the only good thing to come out of this pandemic is the postponement of my appearance in traffic court.