Oftentimes, drivers who receive a traffic ticket will choose to represent themselves in court as it pertains to challenge it. In some instances, this can sadly lead to devastating consequences for a driver. For instance, the driver may be missing significant details about the law or may have misremembered the events leading up to a ticket, which can hurt the end result of their case.
While you do not necessarily need to hire a legal professional to help you fight a traffic ticket, a attorney does know regulations and so will know the arguments to use to be able to get a traffic ticket fine reduced or completely dismissed. Depending on the circumstances, this simply means you could pay less or possibly nothing for a traffic ticket.
In addition, it also means that your auto insurance rates will stay the same and that you will not receive extra points on your driver’s license.
How Much Does a Traffic Ticket Lawyer Cost?
The rate at which a legal professional bills a driver for handling a traffic ticket matter will rely upon lots of factors, such as what the traffic ticket is ideal for, if they were charged with a crime in addition to the traffic ticket, the rate of traffic ticket attorneys in a specific jurisdiction, and the technique that a specific law firm or legal professional uses to bill their clients.
For example, when a traffic violation results in a minor traffic citation with little to no legal paperwork, then a traffic ticket legal professional will most likely charge a driver a flat rate to handle their case. On the other hand, if a traffic violation involves a lot more serious matter and possibly a criminal charge, then a traffic ticket legal professional will potentially bill a driver by imposing an hourly rate. This is also true where a lawyer must represent a driver in court.
As a general rule of thumb, however, legal fees for a traffic ticket attorney will vary relative to the nature of a driver’s case and on the positioning where a traffic ticket was issued.
When Do You Need a Citations Attorneys for a Traffic Ticket?
Just because a driver receives a traffic ticket, will not necessarily mean that they will need to hire a legal professional to represent them in order to challenge the ticket. However, having a lawyer may give a driver certain extra benefits, such as obtaining expert legal services. In general, the more serious that a traffic violation is, the more useful it might be to retain the services of a traffic ticket lawyer.
A lawyer can even be useful for a driver who received a ticket in a city or declare that is not in the location wherein they normally reside. For instance, in case a driver gets a ticket in circumstances that is a long way away from where they actually live, then they can hire a traffic ticket attorney to appear in court with the person.
In general, there are four main techniques a lawyer can assist a driver in winning or resolving an issue related to a traffic ticket matter. The four primary legal services a lawyer can provide regarding the a traffic ticket include the following:
A lawyer can offer legal advice: A legal professional can provide legal advice about the traffic laws, including which ones can be applied to the facts of a driver’s traffic ticket case. This advice can be quite valuable for a driver since it will eventually likely not only determine how to proceed with contesting their traffic ticket, but will also likely dictate the outcome with their case.
A lawyer can represent a driver in traffic court: A driver can hire a attorney to represent them in traffic court. As previously discussed, while this may not always be essential for a traffic ticket case, a legal professional can present a well-organized and far better argument when compared to a driver without legal knowledge could by themselves.
A legal professional can help get a traffic citation dismissed: Occasionally, a legal professional can help get a driver’s traffic ticket completely dismissed. However, in case a case is much more serious, then a legal professional can at least help to find the fines associated with a driver’s traffic ticket reduced.
A legal professional can negotiate on a driver’s behalf: If a traffic ticket is issued regarding the a significant crime or a driver is facing serious consequences for receiving a certain kind of traffic citation, a legal professional can negotiate with the prosecution on the driver’s behalf for reduced penalties.
What Should I Know about Hiring a Lawyer for a Traffic Ticket?
The following is a list of useful tricks for drivers who are considering finding a lawyer to challenge a traffic citation or to defend them against charges regarding the a traffic ticket, such as:
Do not rush the hiring process: While it holds true that a driver will likely need to find a legal professional in short order if they want to challenge a traffic ticket, it is also important that a driver does not rush the process. A driver shouldn’t force themselves to hire a attorney whom they would not feel comfortable working with or trusting to properly handle their case.
Enlisting the legal services of a local legal professional is key: A driver should strive to hire a legal professional who practices law in their jurisdiction. Oftentimes, using the legal services of an area legal professional is a driver’s most suitable choice. The explanation for simply because a local legal professional will already be familiar with the laws in the area and also will in all probability be acquainted with the other players involved in a driver’s case, like the presiding judge or regulations enforcement officer who issued the ticket.
Be wary of legal charge schedules with reduced billing rates: Occasionally, prepaid legal services will permit a driver to hire a lawyer at a reduced rate. However, this does not necessarily mean that the lawyer who is assigned with their case will be knowledgeable about traffic violation issues, the related legal procedures, or anything else involving a traffic court. Additionally, sometimes these types of lawyers are only assigned to provide legal advice to drivers, however, not to represent them in traffic court.
Generally speaking, getting a traffic ticket can be a costly event that not only affects finances, but may also increase your monthly auto insurance rate as well as can lead to accruing extra points on your driver’s license. Thus, if you have obtained a traffic citation for violating the traffic laws in your jurisdiction, then it may be in your best interest to use an area traffic ticket attorney if you intend to challenge it in court.
A attorney who has experience in handling cases involving traffic law violations can inform you of your legal rights under the traffic laws in your jurisdiction. Your legal professional may also be in a position to discuss your options regarding a legal defense and can assist you in building a powerful case. In addition, if you are summoned to appear before a judge in criminal or traffic court, your lawyer will be able to provide legal representation as well.
Rand & Gregory Attorneys at Law
343 Person Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301, United States
+1 (910) 433-2222