You are not required to engage a lawyer for a speeding ticket. You may simply pay the fine, or show up at the scheduled hearing and attempt to represent yourself. However, in many cases, you will achieve a better result if you hire a lawyer.
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Dec 19, 2019 · 3. How a Lawyer Can Help You. Negotiate – Lawyers are master negotiators since it’s a big part of their job. For more serious cases, your lawyer could cut your jail time in half or even get you off on probation/community service. For traffic tickets, it’s more likely that they will try to get the case thrown out or a reduced fine.
Mar 27, 2020 · While this may seem obvious, many panicked motorists immediately call the first lawyer a friend recommends because “Bob told me he’s a really good guy.” This isn't 1930s Maycomb County, so you have more options than Atticus Finch, the local generalist. Call an attorney who knows the ins and outs of the traffic laws in your jurisdiction.
Above all, contact an experienced Boston traffic lawyer at Bellotti Law Group, P.C. today at 617-225-2100 as soon as possible to develop an individualized plan to suit your needs. 1. Decide the best course of action based on your needs — You have the right to appeal your ticket and be heard before a judge. You can also choose to pay the fine ...
Feb 07, 2021 · You can also seek the help of a lawyer for your speeding ticket. Keep a Cool Head. Whatever you decide to say in court when contesting a speeding ticket, remember to keep calm. The last thing you want to do is lose control of your emotions in front of the judge. You need to stay cool and collected at all times while in court.
Lawyers | Traffic School |
---|---|
$60 – $150 average cost | As Low as $15 – $20 |
Points may be added to your license | NO points assessed on your license |
Insurance may increase | Insurance will not increase |
Takes at least two week days in court | Takes 4 hours |
Practice Type | Average Hourly Rate |
---|---|
Personal Injury | $463 |
Real Estate | $243 |
Tax | $264 |
Traffic Offenses | $296 |
You probably already know that most lawyers specialize in one or a few areas of law. Traffic lawyers specialize in the rules and regulations binding motorists on the public roads.
Lawyers handle billing differently for traffic tickets. Their rates vary based on the complexity of your case and the location in which you were ticketed. Many firms charge an hourly rate to represent you in court to fight your ticket. Others apply a flat fee.
Finding a good lawyer can feel like a wild goose chase - but it shouldn’t have to.
At Off The Record, we’ve found an innovative way to handle speeding tickets outside of the traditional court process. To do this, we’ve developed an app (for iOS or Android, or old-fashioned web) that connects you with an experienced traffic lawyer in your area.
In particular, a traffic ticket attorney specializes in laws related to driving; such lawyers defend traffic court cases varying from routine moving violations (such as running a traffic light) to more serious situations (such as driving under the influence ). Regardless of the violation circumstances, a seasoned lawyer works to reduce your traffic ...
Because they're familiar with the traffic laws, many traffic ticket lawyers can get a ticket dismissed if: 1 The issuing officer doesn't appear in court. 2 You agree to plea to another less serious non-moving violation. 3 You comply with an unsupervised probationary period.
It is imperative that you get a handle on what kind of experience any lawyer you are interviewing has. Do they know the local court system? Do they specialize in speeding tickets? Etc. You should be able to get those answers from the attorney. You can easily find metairie speeding ticket lawyers here.
You will want to ask your potential traffic ticket lawyer what they feel is a fair outcome of your case. Knowing this will keep you from having unrealistic expectations and therefore allow you to have a preliminary result in your head and perhaps better prepare for the future after the outcome.
A good speeding ticket lawyer will make sure you are prepared for your hearing. He or she will ask you to take any classes or certification based courses to expel points on your license. Completing a class may just save you from having your license suspended.
To make sure you’re not getting ripped off, you should schedule at least three meetings with different lawyers. This will give you an idea of what the going rate is for fighting a speeding ticket. You can call several places as well and try and get some quotes over the phone.
If you plan to fight the ticket, you’ll have to go to court, where a prosecutor will have to prove you were speeding. Even if you think the ticket is unjustified, speeding violations are hard to beat. If the officer doesn’t show up at the hearing, you could be off the hook, but don’t rely on that. If you ask for a hearing, plan to make your case ...
Nobody wants to get a speeding ticket, and for good reason. If you’re convicted, a violation will: Affect your driving record, possibly resulting in suspension of your license. Cost money upfront: You’ll pay the speeding ticket and any court fees.
If you decide to pay the speeding ticket. Although paying a $50 ticket might not seem that bad, consider the true cost of a speeding ticket. Besides paying the initial fee, after a ticket, your car insurance rates can rise by hundreds of dollars per year. For instance, NerdWallet’s 2020 rate study found that:
If the officer doesn’t show up at the hearing, you could be off the hook, but don’t rely on that. If you ask for a hearing, plan to make your case and be questioned before a judge. Check the ticket to find out whether a state, county or local officer issued it and search online for traffic procedures in that jurisdiction.
A traffic lawyer costs between $250 and $350 on average nationally, according to Thumbtack, an online marketplace for service professionals. A speeding ticket costs anywhere from $50 up to $2,500 in some states in the severest cases.
“Mitigation” is making a deal with the prosecutor and court; it saves the jurisdiction money by avoiding a hearing while lowering your penalty for the ticket. You may be able to request a negotiation before or at your hearing, but it’s the court’s decision, so check on the court’s website or call to be sure. In some areas, you must request mitigation in writing.
Whatever you decide to say in court when contesting a speeding ticket, remember to keep calm. The last thing you want to do is lose control of your emotions in front of the judge. You need to stay cool and collected at all times while in court.
When you are explaining the situation that led to your speeding ticket, you need to be as detailed as possible. The more detailed you are in your explanation, the more likely you are to be taken seriously. If the judge gets the sense that you are being purposely vague, you’ll probably be stuck with the ticket and all of the consequences that come with it.
Lying can get you in a lot of trouble, and it would be more difficult for you to provide details and evidence to reinforce your lie. It’s simply too easy to get caught in a lie, so we don’t recommend this. On the other hand, being honest can go a long way in helping you get out of a ticket or at least have it reduced.
Admitting guilt automatically means that you will have to pay the full cost of the ticket and get points on your license.
If you were caught speeding in the middle of the night on an empty road, the judge may take that into consideration because you weren’t posing threats to traffic or pedestrians.
If you were pulled over in such an area, you should bring it up in court. While ignorance of the law is not a valid defense, this can still help you get out of your speeding ticket. A judge might have mercy on you if he feels as though you genuinely didn’t know the speed limit on the stretch of road you were traveling.
William. William Johnson is the owner and founder of RatedRadarDe tector.org. He writes about car accessories, with his passion stemming from a deep enthusiasm for all things automotive. His website, RRD, focuses on in-depth reviews of car accessories to help people find the best and latest products in the market.
You may need to notify your automobile insurance company after being issued a speeding ticket. In many cases, your automobile insurance rate may increase after one or more speeding tickets. In the worst case scenario, an automobile insurance company may drop your policy if you are issued several speeding tickets in a short period of time.
On this ticket will appear your contact and personal information, the location of your offense, the officer’s name, the posted speed limit, the speed you were going when the officer first signaled you to pull over, and a preliminary court date for the offense. If any of your contact information is incorrect, notify the officer so that he or she can make the proper changes.
If the speeding ticket is your first, you may be allowed to attend defensive driving school in exchange for the fine. You can call your local municipal courthouse to find out more information about enrolling. This possibility is only available in certain areas.
A traffic lawyer can formally request dismissal from the traffic court judge. Since a traffic law attorney spends so much time in traffic court, they know the exact wording that must be proposed to the judge.
If the traffic court judge denies a request for dismissal, a traffic lawyer can counter with a reduced charge. Many times, due to traffic court overcrowding, especially in counties with no night court, a judge will grant a no-point, non-moving violation to free up court time.