First Speeding Ticket, Please Help!

You are right that you are already fortunate that the officer did not charge you with reckless driving, as they can do when you are driving 20 or more miles-per-hour above the speed limit.  Maybe because you were right on the cusp, they knew that you could probably get that reduced to simple speeding anyway.  It is possible to make a deal with the prosecutor ahead of time to stipulate to a lower MPH in order to lower the number of points you will get on your record, but it depends on the prosecutor and some of them won't even talk to you, if you don't have a lawyer.  That's one advantage to having a lawyer - they can talk to the prosecutor ahead of time and work out a deal for you.   Another thing you can do is have your speedometer calibrated and bring proof of that to court with you. It is not unusual for speedometers to be slightly off and the court can take this into account, if you did not actually know how fast you were going.  It doesn't cost much to have that done. You seem to already have an understanding about taking a driver improvement course to reduce your negative points and build back up your positive points, the main thing here being to take after the points are deducted from your record. This answer is given in accordance with the laws of Virginia and may not be applicable in any other state.  It should not be construed as legal advice, as that would require a more thorough analysis of all of the facts involved in a specific case.  If you need further information or assistance, please feel free to contact my office for a consultation. Case results depend upon a variety of factors unique to each case. Case results do not guarantee or predict a similar result in any future case.