Dealing With A Traffic Ticket

Sorry that you’ve been issued with a traffic ticket. But that’s not the end of the world yet. There’s hope in getting out of it. Dealing with a citation can be a hassle, and if you’re ultimately found guilty of a moving violation, there can be long-lasting financial consequences. This is when you need to hire a traffic violation lawyer to help you contest your traffic ticket.

Deciding Whether to Fight a Ticket

If an officer cites you for a moving violation, you’ll first need to decide whether you want to go to court or just pay the ticket and move on. Though paying a ticket without going to court is a quick and easy way of dealing with the situation, it has some drawbacks: you’ll be admitting guilt for the violation and paying the maximum fine.

If you go to court, you’ve got the chance of getting the judge to reduce your fine or beating the ticket. But the court option doesn’t appeal to many drivers because it means investing time and energy, and possibly missing work or school. If you want to but can’t go to court, hiring an attorney to handle your case is another option. There are lawyers who specialize in traffic tickets and with an experienced traffic ticket attorney, you might have a better chance of beating the violation.

Arraignment

If you decide to contest your ticket in court, you should check your citation for instructions on where and when to go. In the event you decide not to fight your ticket, read your ticket and any other paperwork closely. The first day in court is usually called an arraignment. At the arraignment, drivers typically have two options: admit to the traffic violation or plead “not guilty.” If you plead guilty, you may be able to get a reduced fine or a simple refresher driving test. If you’re ordered to take another test, just make sure to check date of driving test to avoid missing it. If you miss the test, you may be fined even more. If you plead not guilty, the judge will typically set another court date for your trial.

Trial

In most criminal cases, you have the right to a state-appointed attorney if you can’t afford to hire your own lawyer. In traffic cases, however, free appointed lawyers isn’t available. Your choices are normally to represent yourself or hire a private traffic ticket attorney Orange county to help you represent.

The verdict.

At the end of your trial, the judge will either find you guilty or not guilty. A not-guilty verdict means you beat the ticket. Congratulations to you! If the court finds you guilty, the violation will go on your driving record and you’ll most likely not be able to avoid paying the fine.