When you are charged with a traffic offense, your first instinct may be to pay the ticket. The criminal penalties for most traffic offenses are relatively low, usually a manageable fine. Paying seems like the fastest, easiest, and most affordable option. However, the costs of a traffic ticket go beyond the criminal penalty. A ticket can increase your insurance, impact your employability, and may even impact civil liability if you were in an accident.
Some people do not take tickets seriously and skip their court dates, which is the worst approach a person can take. When you miss a court date, you will face penalties for the original charge and for missing your court date. The court will issue a warrant for your arrest, meaning you could be arrested at any point.
You should consult a Metairie traffic lawyer instead of ignoring or paying the ticket. A dedicated criminal defense attorney can explain your different options, including giving you a breakdown of the costs associated with those solutions. That information lets you decide the best strategy for handling your ticket.
Traffic Attorneys May Get Tickets Dismissed
The best scenario in a traffic offense case is to get the ticket dismissed. A lawyer can help a person achieve this in several ways.
First, a traffic attorney could challenge the evidence in the ticket. Sometimes, errors in the ticket will provide grounds for dismissing the ticket. In those instances, the attorney may approach the prosecutor or make a motion to dismiss in front of the court.
Another method is to seek defensive driving education. Many courts permit some drivers to take defensive driving classes to get the ticket dismissed. To do that, the attorney appears at the court on the trial date and requests that their client get the opportunity to take a driver improvement course to get the ticket dismissed. The severity of the offense, the defendant’s driving history, and other factors determine a driver’s eligibility for the course. Generally, it is not an option for people with commercial driver’s licenses or people cited for criminal moving violations.
Potential Penalties for Traffic Violations
While many people associate tickets with fines, the punishments for tickets can go well beyond fines. For more serious traffic violations, a suspended license is one potential penalty. Traffic attorneys in Metairie could prevent people from pleading guilty to offenses that could result in a suspended license.
Even if the ticket is not a serious violation, it could have an extremely high fine. An attorney may be able to negotiate a lower ticket. Doing so helps reduce the fine related to the ticket and improves a person’s driver record.
The driver record is more important than some people realize. Insurance companies use driving records to determine the rates for auto insurance and even life insurance. Some employers also look at driver records, and a bad record can cause people to lose their jobs or impact their ability to get specific jobs.
Traffic Attorneys Can Save Time in Traffic Court
One of the main reasons people pay for their tickets is that handling a ticket is time-consuming. The First Parish Court requires two appearances to handle a ticket. At the first appearance, the Court handles the arraignment, giving a defendant the opportunity to plead guilty or not guilty. The Court provides the trial date at the arraignment, at which a defendant who pleads not guilty must appear.
A lawyer can appear for a defendant. Unless a defendant needs to provide testimony, a Metairie traffic lawyer could handle all court appearances for the defendant.
Contact a Traffic Attorney in Metairie for Help With Tickets and More
When you are charged with a moving violation, it is essential to handle it promptly. While paying the ticket may seem like the easiest option, it can have unintended consequences.
Before deciding what to do about a ticket, talk with a Metairie traffic lawyer. They could explain all the potential results of pleading guilty and preview your other remedies. Schedule a consultation to learn more.
