ByHow Do Lawyers Dismiss Traffic Tickets?
A recent New York Times report indicated that cops issue tickets to collect funds to fuel various towns. You might be cruising down the road, and an officer tickets you for a minor fault. Sadly, you'll pay for it, especially if you don't have a lawyer.
These traffic tickets might overstretch your already weak financial status. Worst case scenario, you have a few other tickets you cannot pay and still plead not guilty. As you ponder on the current one, you can help but wonder, '
DoNotPay has the secrets of winning traffic lawyers from all cities like LA, California, Las Vegas, and NYC. Read on to find out more.
Contest Traffic Tickets In Less Than 120 Seconds
If you don't want trouble and financial anguish in the long run, it's wise to have lawyers that handle traffic tickets. Engadget reports such a lawyer- DoNotPay- with the highest success rate in the industry (64%), having overturned 200,000 traffic tickets to date and counting.
Here's how to get started:
- Log-in to DoNotPay and go to the Ticket Disputes category. Select the correct product based on your traffic ticket.
- Upload a photo of your citation.
- Provide us with some details on why you believe the citation issued is a mistake.
- Select whether or not you want the letter mailed to the traffic ticket issuer on your behalf!
- That's it! You'll receive an appeal letter that contains state vehicle codes to boost your case.
It's that simple! Look out for your traffic ticket issuer's response to discover whether you won!
Types of Traffic Tickets
Each state classifies, processes, and penalizes traffic violations differently. Before hiring an attorney to fight the traffic ticket, you must understand which ticket you got. The most common traffic violations include
| Moving violations | You commit these when your car is in motion. The most common include:
Speeding Running a red light Failing to stop at a stop sign Distracted driving (texting, eating, etc.) Reckless driving (driving too fast for weather/road conditions) Driving without insurance and license |
| Non-moving violations | You commit these when your vehicle isn't moving. They include:
Parking tickets and Equipment violations (broken brake lights, etc.) |
| Criminal violations | These warrant imprisonment, especially when the driver is a repeat offender or the offense has caused death, serious injury, or property damage. Some of these include:
Driving under the influence (DUI) Driving with a suspended or revoked license Reckless driving Hit-and-run Vehicular homicide. |
Do I Have to Hire an Attorney to Contest Traffic Tickets?
It's not required to hire an attorney to challenge your traffic ticket. You can represent yourself in court, but hiring a traffic attorney is often beneficial.
Sure, a lawyer is familiar with your case's laws, procedures, and strategies, giving you a distinct advantage over going it alone.
On the other hand, a lawyer costs anywhere between $100 to over $1000! That's unreasonably high and unaffordable. Worse still, you still lose and are forced to pay the traffic tickets and the fees.
Why go through all that trouble when hiring an experienced and skilled traffic defense is as simple as using an ultra-modern and easy-to-use app? This way, you can be best assured of the best outcome for your case.
How Does Traffic School Work?
Traffic school is an excellent option if you don't want to hire an attorney for traffic tickets. It also prevents getting points on your driving record, causing increased insurance rates, or if you have a job that requires a clean driving history.
Private companies offer traffic schools that are approved by individual states and counties. If you get approved for traffic school, just complete it within whatever time frame the court assigns. Most courses take about four hours and involve watching videos, reading materials, and taking quizzes. It can be tedious, but it will keep your driving record clean.
And it costs less than most traffic tickets!
What to Do When You Get a Traffic Ticket
After you get a traffic ticket, these steps might be the difference between winning and losing:
- Hire a traffic attorney for that traffic ticket. It's essential to know your rights to be fairly represented in court.
- Gather evidence for your case. While law enforcement officers collect their evidence, you better do the same. Take pictures and videos of where you were when stopped by police (if allowed by local laws). These could prove helpful during trial or plea bargaining stages later on.
- Get a copy of your ticket. Each traffic ticket contains specific information about the offense you are charged for. Read this carefully—it may not be obvious what constitutes your offense and what the punishment will be if convicted. If it is not clear, your attorney can help decipher your ticket.
- Review the officer's report to confirm any other details relevant to your case (such as statements from witnesses).
- Prepare for any possible outcomes.
How Lawyers Dismiss Traffic Tickets
To understand you have to know what it's like to be in traffic court.
- Trial by declaration - where all the parties, the law enforcement, and your lawyer submit your case in writing. If that doesn't work and the case isn't dismissed outright
- A discovery request - demanding that the prosecution show its evidence against you.
- Demurrer - challenging whether there's enough evidence for a reasonable person to think you're guilty of the charge. Fortunately, there are numerous defenses to traffic tickets, such as the officer didn't record your speed and speeding gun inaccuracy, among others.
- Things progress from there through various hearings until arraignment or trial, at which point your lawyer will fight to get the case dismissed instead of taking it to trial.
If things don't go well during these procedures, your attorney may advise you to accept a plea deal offered by prosecutors. A plea deal allows you to avoid having your license suspended if convicted of certain offenses like driving with a suspended license or DUI charges.
Reasons to Contest a Traffic Ticket
Traffic tickets are burdensome, another good reason for hiring a competent attorney. Even though there's that chance you'll pay a traffic ticket; you still have the right to contest it, especially if:
- You weren't guilty of the offense.
- You have a good defense. For example, you weren't speeding, or you had an emergency.
- There are mitigating circumstances, such as not having any points on your license or being a first-time offender.
- You want to avoid a suspended license or getting points on your driving record.
- Your financial status is wanting, and you can't afford to pay for the ticket.
- You have DoNotPay on your side, so you are assured of a win!
What Happens If I Don't Pay My Ticket?
If you don't pay your ticket, the repercussions vary by state. The most common include:
- Your driver's license could be suspended in some states.
- You could be charged with a misdemeanor in some states.
- Jail time, for instance, you could be jailed for 30 days in New York
- Your car could be towed if you violate traffic laws in some states and cities.
- You could be charged with a civil penalty separate from the traffic ticket fine—for instance, in Illinois and California. The fine can range from $50 - $500, depending on where it happens.
- You could receive a failure to appear charge if you don't show up for court or haven't paid your ticket after receiving a notice of violation which is usually mailed out 30 days after the original due date on your ticket.
But again, why face such stiff repercussions when you have a chance of hiring an attorney for traffic tickets?
What Else Can DoNotPay Do?
Hiring an attorney for a traffic ticket doesn't scratch the surface of DoNotPay's functions. Our platform will help fight those pesky traffic tickets and also:
- Dispute parking tickets on your behalf
- Short cut to renewing your car registration
- Deeper insights into insurance claims
- Find your missing moolah
- Ensure the city is aware of areas that need repair
- Top tips on enjoying airline flight compensation
- You deserve better deals on your car lease
- Overturn those seatbelt tickets
- Lodge complaints against various businesses