Thousands of traffic tickets are issued on a daily basis across the United States. The question that often times arises is whether it is really worth it to fight a traffic ticket? It’s certainly possible, but fighting traffic tickets can take a lot of time and effort and may not be worth it in the long run, even if you ultimately prevail. For instance, the money or opportunity lost by taking a day off work for your hearing may cost more than the actual ticket — even if you’re clearly in the right. But if a ticket means thousands of dollars in increased insurance premiums, however, it may be very worthwhile to fight it.
Most police officers don’t really know the letter of the law — after all, that’s what attorneys are for. An easy first step in fighting traffic tickets is to read the exact law you’re alleged to have violated, and break it down into elements. Once you’ve broken the law down into its components, if you can show that your behavior didn’t meet the exact prohibitions contained in the law, then you’ve gone a good ways towards showing that you have not violated the law at all.
Some elements you can’t really challenge, but notice that stopping isn’t actually required! It’s only necessary if it is “required for safety” and the law explicitly allows you to “cautiously make a turn or proceed through the intersection without stopping.”
Chances are good that the police officer wrote down something like “rolled through intersection without a complete stop.” You can easily go into court, lay out the law, and demonstrate that you never violated the law in the first place. Will a judge accept this? Absolutely. This is precisely what lawyers do, they break down laws into elements and try to prove that some element wasn’t met. Remember, you’re innocent until proven guilty.
When you first get your ticket, do not pay it if you have any doubts as to whether it can be successfully fought. In almost all jurisdictions, paying the fine is an admission of guilt. Instead, find out how you can get your day in court.
Many jurisdictions offer an option to attend traffic school. In return, your charges will be dismissed or reduced. Explore this option by researching the law in your state. If you find that traffic school is a good option, request it from the prosecutor or judge.
If you or a loved one is in a bind as a result of a criminal charge, immediately contact a Seattle Criminal Attorney. A Criminal lawyer is not going to judge you, and understands that everyone makes mistakes. Hiring a Seattle Criminal Lawyer to help can – at a minimum – reduce penalties, and can help direct people on how to best deal with their criminal charge, and many times even get them dismissed. So it should go without saying that someone cited for a misdemeanor or felony should hire a qualified Seattle Criminal Lawyer as soon as possible. Criminal charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone charged with a crime in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle Criminal Lawyer.
