A speeding ticket over 90 mph in the St. Louis area is becoming a much bigger problem than it used to be. Not long ago, many of these tickets could often be worked out with an amendment, sometimes with driving school and community service, and sometimes even more easily, depending on the court. That is changing. Many courts are now much less willing to amend tickets once the alleged speed gets into the 90s, and tickets over 100 mph are increasingly being treated as cases where jail time is on the table.

Tickets Over 90 MPH Are Getting Harder to Amend

The standard for speeding tickets between 90 and 100 MPH in the St. Louis area used to be, to overgeneralize, that some courts would amend the ticket to a non-moving violation with a high fine, and some would amend with a driving school and/or community service. The amendment would ensure that the charge is not reported to the Department of Revenue, thereby avoiding the most damaging consequences.  

That started to change in 2025, and now, in early 2026, very few prosecutors will amend a 90 MPH ticket outright. Some will still amend the ticket with driving school and community service, others will allow for probation, and a few will not allow any resolution other than a conviction with a fine. 

One of the main reasons for this is changing standards at the circuit court level. Previously, a lawyer could “certify” a ticket in a municipal court, moving it to the county court. High-speed tickets were generally considered easier to resolve at that venue. Now, circuit courts are taking a hard-line stance on high-speed tickets, a position not completely unwarranted given the conditions on area highways.

Tickets Over 100 MPH Can Bring More Serious Consequences

A ticket for speeding over 100 MPH has always been a serious charge. The consensus has been that someone driving that fast has made a conscious decision to operate a vehicle at an unsafe speed. The line had to be drawn somewhere, and triple digits seems like a logical place. 

Having said that, it was still often possible to keep the ticket off a driver's record. Some municipal courts would amend the ticket with community service and driving school. If not, lawyers could move the ticket to the circuit court and most likely get the driver probation. Now, many prosecutors are asking for jail time, usually two or three days. 

In other words, once the speed reaches triple digits, the courts no longer treat it as a matter that can be cleaned up with conditions. They are looking to establish that driving over 100 MPH is a serious matter that will no longer be tolerated and carries serious consequences. 

What Can a Lawyer Do?

An experienced traffic lawyer who is willing to work for a good outcome can still get results on a high-speed ticket. It is impossible to give a detailed account of what results you can expect at each court with each speed, but a lawyer can often arrange to keep a 90 MPH ticket off your record and, most importantly, eliminate jail as an option on tickets over 100.

It is important to hire an experienced attorney for these tickets. Missouri traffic courts are always changing, and you need an attorney with the experience to negotiate these changes. You also need an attorney who handles traffic tickets regularly. Don't expect someone who occasionally fixes tickets to get the best result on a high-speed ticket. 

What Should You Do if You Get a 90+ MPH Ticket?

The old assumption was that a lawyer could get a high-speed ticket fixed with the right conditions. In many St. Louis-area courts, that is no longer true. If your ticket is over 90 MPH, you need to take it seriously from the beginning. 

There is no single rule that applies to every case. Some courts are still more flexible than others, and outcomes depend on the exact speed, the court, and, importantly, the attorney. A lawyer cannot promise an amendment on a high-speed ticket, especially now. What a lawyer can do is identify the risk, negotiate for a good outcome, and prevent the case from getting worse than it needs to be. 

If you have a high-speed ticket in the St. Louis area, call Ruth Beerup at 636-940-1111. She has over 25 years of experience handling traffic tickets and will fight for the best possible outcome for your case.