Traffic violations can be expensive, frustrating, and time-consuming. A DC traffic lawyer can help people fight a ticket and avoid penalties.
Some violations lead to significant fines, suspended or revoked driving privileges, and increased insurance premiums. A DC traffic lawyer can provide ongoing legal support and advice while fighting a citation. Learn more.
Minor Tickets
Minor traffic violations may seem inconvenient, but a DC traffic attorney could help drivers avoid severe penalties. For instance, multiple minor traffic offenses may result in substantial points against an individual’s license, leading to higher insurance premiums and even causing the loss of a commercial driving license, security clearance, or employment opportunities.
Minor traffic offenses are resolved at the Department of Motor Vehicles, while significant violations are typically a misdemeanor and are resolved in the District’s Superior Court. A DC speeding ticket, for example, if uncontested, results in demerit points, a fine, and a suspension of your driver’s license. However, a DC traffic lawyer can defend against these charges by challenging how police officers calculate your speed and argue that you were not driving above the legal limit. A DC traffic attorney can also negotiate with the hearing examiner to waive or reduce your penalties. A successful defense could save thousands of dollars and prevent your license from being suspended.
Criminal Violations
Unlike traffic infractions and misdemeanors, criminal traffic offenses result in higher fines points against a driver’s record and may even lead to jail time. A DC traffic lawyer could help drivers fight the consequences of these offenses, including a criminal record and higher insurance rates.
A skilled DC traffic attorney could evaluate a case from the initial police stop through the entire judicial process to ensure that a person’s rights are upheld and they do not face excessive consequences for their traffic violation. Through careful analysis of police procedures and evidence in a case, they can often get charges reduced or dismissed entirely.
Generally, crimes committed by a driver while behind the wheel, such as reckless driving or fleeing a traffic officer, are resolved in the DC Superior Court. However, cases involving minor traffic violations are handled by the DC Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). An experienced traffic lawyer could help individuals with either type of hearing and make sure that they receive the best possible outcome.
Reckless Driving
Reckless driving is a criminal traffic offense that can lead to a conviction on an individual’s criminal record. It is resolved in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and is often more serious than a simple traffic infraction. A seasoned DC traffic attorney could help an individual fight the charge and keep their driver’s license clean.
There are many ways that an individual can get charged with reckless driving. For instance, plowing through a crowd or driving on a sidewalk disregards pedestrian safety and can earn you a reckless driving charge. Similarly, swerving uncontrollably across lanes can also be a crime.
Unlike most other moving violations, a reckless driving conviction can result in a year of jail time, 12 points added to one’s license, exorbitant insurance premiums, loss of security clearance, and more. A DC traffic lawyer could analyze the situation and work to have the charges reduced or dismissed altogether. They may be able to convince the hearing examiner that your speedometer was inaccurate or that you were pulled over unfairly, for example.
DUI
Some individuals receive a traffic ticket that leads to charges of driving under the influence. This can be a severe violation that could result in jail time, license points, fines, and other penalties. An experienced DC traffic lawyer can help an individual fight these criminal charges or work to have them reduced or dismissed.
A skilled attorney will examine all aspects of a client’s case, from the initial traffic stop to any evidence. They will also look at police procedures that could be in question in the case. They will then evaluate the client’s situation and determine how best to approach the case, whether to have the charge reduced or eliminated.
Regardless of how minor a person’s ticket may seem, they must contact a DC traffic attorney immediately to protect their rights and explore whether or not they may be eligible for a restricted license. A seasoned lawyer can help individuals build their defense and ensure they are well-prepared for their hearing.