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Having your day in court

Why Use a Traffic Lawyer When Facing a Serious Driving Offense?

by Beverley Lopez

In most cases, you can represent yourself in court when facing a serious driving offense or forego court altogether and accept a fine or other punishment. While you might not like the idea of hiring an attorney to represent you or may assume that handling the case on your own is the better option, you should note why it's good to use a traffic lawyer. 

1. There may be long-term consequences you're not considering

A minor traffic ticket may mean nothing more than a slight increase to your car insurance rates and perhaps a small fine, but more serious driving offenses can mean long-term consequences that you might not be considering. For instance, this can mean a restriction in driving privileges, an outright suspension of your driver's license, and in some cases, even community service or jail time. This can also affect your permanent driving record, so that a future accident or citation makes your overall record look even worse. More serious charges might even affect your ability to get employment if your license gets suspended or charges remain on your record for a certain length of time.

A good traffic lawyer will know how to negotiate your charges to something lesser so that your consequences are not as severe, or will negotiate those consequences to something better for you. As an example, they may ask if you can perform community service rather than face any jail time, or opt for  larger fine versus community service. They may also be able to negotiate a way to have certain charges taken off your record after some time.

2. First-time traffic offenders don't always get their cases dismissed

A common reason for a person to forego using a traffic lawyer is that they assume first-time traffic offenders are shown more leniency. This isn't always the case, as judges sometimes have guidelines they need to follow when handing down sentences. Some judges also don't care if it's your first offense and may look at the seriousness of the accident you caused or the citation you received on its own. If you already have another type of criminal conviction, this too can make the problem worse; your first drunk driving charge, when added to your record for petty theft, may make a judge think that he or she should actually be tougher on you.

Rather than assume that you can simply handle your own traffic case, whether it's a first offense or not, it's best to at least consult with a lawyer. You can then decide if you want to hire them for your court appearance. For more information, contact a local firm like Russo Lawyers

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