What is a PJC? Should I use it?
DHB Insurance Agency | March 2014
We are often asked about this topic and it is a complicated one. To keep things simple, we will cover how it applies to traffic tickets.
What is it?
PJC stands for "Prayer for Judgment Continued". It allows a person to admit guilt without technically being convicted by the Court.
This means that the person charged will still need to pay court costs, but will not be charged points on insurance or their drivers license.
Does the ticket just go away?
The ticket will still show up on your MVR with notice that you received a PJC for this offense. Insurance companies can see you received a ticket, but they can't charge you points for it.
How often can you use it?
A PJC can be used once per household every three years for insurance purposes. If your spouse or child received one, you are no longer eligible. It is legally possible to get two every five years, but insurance companies will not honor them.
Getting a second household PJC in three years will cause insurance points to be charged for both tickets.
How can I use it?
It can be used to for a variety of traffic violations. The legislature has been removing certain tickets from eligibility. The following are examples of tickets that are not eligible for a PJC
- DUI
- Passing stopped school bus
- Speeding in excess of 25mph over the speed limit
- Any conviction of someone with a commercial drivers license
A PJC is not a right.
It is up to the judge, who may deny your request for any reason. A fairly common reason for denial is that you were combative with the police officer giving you the ticket.
Should I use it?
A PJC should be a last resort. There are a number of other options that may be preferable. Options to try first include:
- Get the Ticket Dismissed
- Change to a Non-Moving Violation such as Improper Equipment (this is very difficult in Wake County, but is common in other parts of the state).
- If a speeding ticket, have it reduced to not over 10 over.
PJC often works best for issues where these options are limited, such as running a red light.
Knowing what the ticket will cost can help you make a decision. You can find the insurance points charged for different tickets on the NCDOI website or our summary www.dhbins.com/points. Use an attorney that is familiar with PJC law. We have seen attorneys lower the ticket to 9 over and also use a PJC when just reducing to 9 over would have achieved the goal. That PJC is gone. As always, we are here to offer guidance. If you get a ticket, give us a call or send us a message to talk about your options.
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