Please note that this is not legal advice. See our disclaimer.
If you have been cited for violating traffic laws, you may believe that you have little or no recourse but to plead guilty and pay your fine. There are, however, potentially serious consequences, even if the ticket is your first. You may have points added to your record, which can result in an immediate increase in your insurance premiums. You may then have to wait up to three years (and have a spotless driving record in the interim) to bring your rates back down. An experienced and skilled traffic attorney can save you money and inconvenience in the long run. With such an attorney:
- You may be able to get the charges against you reduced — You can try to do this yourself, but will likely have little success with prosecutors. First, you don’t speak their language. Second, you don’t know what they value and probably can’t give them a good reason why they should consider reducing the charges. A prosecutor will be more likely to listen to and work with a lawyer who is considered to be a colleague.
- You may be able to resolve your problems without losing time from work, or without even appearing in court — If you represent yourself, you will have to appear when the court schedules your case. There will likely be many others scheduled to appear on the same day. You may have to spend hours in court so that you can appear before the judge for 10 minutes.
- An experienced attorney can help you keep your driving privileges — If you have accumulated enough points, you may face the suspension or revocation of your driving privileges. A skilled lawyer will know how to negotiate with prosecutors so that you have the best chance of keeping your driving privileges, which can be critical to keeping your job.
- You can minimize the risk that you will face suspension or revocation of your license in the future — A skilled traffic lawyer can help you minimize or avoid the accumulation of points on your driving record. By keeping your points down now, you reduce the risk that a future violation will cause you to lose the right to drive.
Contact the Law Offices of Hornstine Law, LLC
At Hornstine Law, LLC, we have decades of criminal law experience. Our lawyers aggressively advocate for people in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, using our knowledge, skill, experience and resources to help you get the outcome you want. We provide a free initial consultation in every case. To schedule an appointment, contact our office online or call us at 215-568-4968 (in New Jersey at 609-523-2222).