To beat a traffic ticket, you don’t have to go to the gym with the mayor, or have a sticker on your back window that says you supported the police department this year. In fact, it’s likely neither of those will help as much as this first very simple tip… take the ticket and ALWAYS PLEAD NOT GULITY, and let a lawyer do their thing.
The result of pleading not guilty is always better than just mailing in the fine and accepting whatever fate the court decides to levy on you. If you plead not guilty, the worst that can happen is that you get hit with minimal court costs, waste some time, and end up getting whatever it was that they would have given you if you pleaded guilty in the first place. The judge will not add more points to the violation. And the judge cannot require your insurance company to raise your rates even higher. By pleading NOT GUILTY, you instantly allow wiggle room for the charges and/or fine to be lowered.
The next step to saving is finding representation. Rarely can a person completely beat a ticket on their own. Without representation, often you’ll wind up with traffic school, higher points and/or higher fees than when you have a lawyer negotiate a deal. Sometimes, you’ll be offered a plea bargain such as half the points and half the fine.
Just paying that ticket without hiring a lawyer has one serious drawback. It counts as a conviction on your record and raises your insurance for years to come. This is the fine that you keep on having to pay.
In recent years, the continual insurance costs from pleading guilty and accepting a conviction have eclipsed the immediate financial hit to your wallet.
Traffic ticket revenue has become more important than ever to many states, cities and counties. With local court and attorney relationships, courts move more smoothly and income is generated.
Today, the wrong ticket at the wrong time from a judge in the wrong mood will send your insurance through the roof. This long term hit could result in a suspended license, and even, in some cases, cost you your job.
If you are wondering if you need a traffic lawyer, you probably do.