If you’re reading this after receiving a traffic citation from a police officer, chances are you want to fight that ticket. At Stites Law, we go up to bat for our clients in court all the time and have helped many beat their traffic tickets or reach a better outcome than expected.
Although you certainly can hire a lawyer like ours, you’re probably wondering why you ever would. After all, a ticket’s just a ticket – right? Well, for a lot of people, it’s not.
A ticket can represent another significant debt incurred. Depending upon how severe the infraction was, a ticket can cost hundreds of dollars or more after court fees. Also, if someone is just one or a few driving record points shy of a license suspension, another ticket can mean losing their ability to drive – that in and of itself means no way to get to work, no way to get the kids to school, and no way to conduct necessary chores like grocery shopping.
These are reasons why it’s worth fighting your traffic ticket as much as they are reasons to seek legal counsel when you choose to do so.
How a Traffic Law Attorney Can Help
Now that we’ve explained why you should seek an attorney’s help with a traffic ticket, we’ll explain the general kinds of services an attorney can provide.
Experienced Legal Counsel
You are neither required to have legal counsel represent you in traffic court nor provided such counsel if you can’t afford it. That said, hiring a lawyer who has experience fighting traffic tickets is worth the cost if you’re facing punishing fines and losing your driving privileges.
Experienced legal counsel means your attorney has helped many clients like you before with a high success rate like ours at Stites Law. It also means your lawyer has the knowledge and skill it takes to increase your odds of success.
Negotiation
Although more commonly used in other legal forums, a traffic lawyer retains the ability to negotiate on your behalf when possible and appropriate. If you were cited for a certain infraction that is difficult to prove, your attorney may be able to help you negotiate it down to a less serious violation. For example, a moving violation could be negotiated down to a non-moving violation – that is, if your attorney’s work doesn’t result in a case dismissal.
Assistance during Your Trial
Traffic court trials can happen very quickly – sometimes it can take less than 15 minutes from the time your case is called to when a verdict is reached. There’s not a single second to spare, and having a professional attorney advocate for you can make the most of this time.
Many people who attempt to represent themselves in a traffic court trial fail because they are intimidated by the process and/or don’t know how to make effective arguments in such a short amount of time. With a lawyer’s representation, however, all you need to do is make sure you look your best when you appear in court.
Conclusion
If you can’t afford the cost of another traffic ticket or are at risk of losing your license – especially a commercial driver’s license – you may be well-served by hiring professional legal counsel for help.
Learn more about what our attorney at Stites Law can do for you by contacting us online!
