How a Citation Lawyer Can Help You Avoid Fines And License Points

Receiving a traffic ticket is frightening in view of the possibility of fines, increased insurance premiums, and penalty points against your driver’s license. If you received a traffic ticket, the best thing to do is to hire the services of a ticket lawyer who will help maximize your case. Traffic ticket lawyers are professionals at representing drivers for whatever type of offense so they won’t be penalized that will impact them in the future.

Knowledge of Traffic Tickets

Traffic tickets are issued to a driver for violating traffic law. They can be infraction-level, such as speeding or failure to signal, or felony-level, such as reckless driving or driving under the influence. The punishment for them depends on the level of severity of the infraction and also depends on the record of the driver.

Types of Traffic Tickets

• Speeding Tickets – Speeding or speeding over the limit can be punished in the form of penalty points and fines.
• Running a Red Light – Usually leads to expensive fines and points.
• Reckless Driving – A serious crime that can lead to suspension of the license and expensive fines.
• DUI (Driving Under the Influence) – One of the worst tickets, including legal penalties over fines.
• Failure to Yield – Occasionally is accompanied by a fine and even liability in the case of an accident.
• Driving Without Insurance – A crime which will be followed by ginormous fines and suspension of one’s license.
• Improper Lane Changes – Careless but nonetheless destined to induce fines and points.

How a Citation Lawyer Can Help

A citation attorney is a traffic law specialist and fully aware of state traffic laws subtleties. His or her expertise can work to the benefit of drivers as it lessens fines and, in some cases, gets the citations dismissed. Some of the most important ways through which a citation attorney can assist are enumerated below:

Challenging the Citation in Court

A citation lawyer can plead your case in court for you, objecting to the charges. They use law and case history to object to evidence provided by police officers.

Reducing Fines & Penalties

Even if dismissal is impossible, a lawyer can appeal to prosecutors to reduce fines along with associated penalties. This can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Preventing License Points

Too many points on your license will mean higher insurance rates and suspension. Your lawyer can have points taken off of your ticket, or waived.

Negotiating Alternative Penalties

Instead of paying thousands of dollars in fines, or points, your lawyer can negotiate alternative penalties, including community service or traffic school.

Protecting Your Rights

Drivers do not know what their rights are once they have a ticket. A lawyer ensures that the police officers were abiding by the rules and your rights were not violated in the stop.

Insurance Rate Prevention

Traffic tickets normally lead to increased insurance premiums. When a ticket is dropped or reduced, a lawyer can prevent your insurance premiums from rising.

Managing Difficult Cases

Some of the traffic crimes, for example, DUI or hit-and-run offenses, are already legally complex enough. A citation attorney knows how to deal with them and can make a strong defense plan.

When Do You Get a Citation Attorney?

You don’t necessarily require an attorney for every traffic offense, but for the majority of cases, you need one. Below are some of the reasons when you are required to hire an attorney:

• You are charged with a serious offense like DUI or reckless driving. 
• You already have points on your license and don’t wish to get further points.
• Your citation will result in suspension of your license. 
• The citation is very costly in the form of a fine, and you’d prefer to fight the charges.
• You feel that the citation was not just or issued incorrectly.

Choosing the Right Citation Lawyer

Your attorney can win or lose your case. Here are some tips on how to select a good citation attorney:

Look for Experience

Choose an attorney who has been practicing traffic violation law for years. An experienced attorney is well familiar with the local procedure and law.

Reviews & Testimonials

Reviews and posts online can tell you about the client’s satisfaction and success rate of an attorney.

Ask Fees

There are flat fee citation attorneys and those who charge hourly. Ask how you will be charged prior to choosing the attorney.

Evaluate Communication Skills

An experienced attorney should be able to and be willing to demystify jargonized legal jargons in English.

Review Their Record

Ask them their success rate in the reduction of fines and dismissal of cases. An experience and a high success rate suggest skill in fighting traffic tickets.

The Cost of Hiring a Citation Lawyer

Most individuals would not want to spend the cost of an attorney to represent them on a citation. Having an attorney represent you, however, is less expensive than fines and higher insurance rates. In most situations, a payment to an attorney will be less expensive in the long run.

Most lawyers will quote between $150 and $500 for minor offenses. DUIs and greater offenses will be $1,000 and more. But the savings in avoiding fines, insurance premiums, and points on your license usually pays for itself by retaining a lawyer.

Final Thoughts

It’s scary to battle a traffic ticket, but with a ticket attorney, you’ll be able to get through the court process easily. Whether it is a simple violation or a more serious one, attorney defense will safeguard your rights, reduce fees, and allow you to have a spotless driving record.

If you get a traffic ticket, talk to a ticket lawyer and consider your options. Having the right legal counsel can be the difference between not having to pay fines and maintaining your right to drive.