Every day, drivers in Washington State are pulled over for committing civil traffic infractions. The question that is often asked is whether it is worth fighting the ticket? To simply answer this question, it is probably in the driver’s best interest to contest the infraction in order to avoid the infraction going on your driving and/or insurance record. Nevertheless, 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 have a strong defense. But if a ticket means thousands of dollars in increased insurance premiums, it may be very worthwhile to fight it.
Most police officers don’t really know the letter of the law. That is what attorneys go to law school for – to understand and analyze the laws that have been enacted by the legislature. 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 have 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.
Chances are good that the police officer wrote down something which you can potentially question and contest. You can easily go into court, lay out the law, and demonstrate that you never violated the law in the first place. Whether the judge accepts the argument is left to their discretion. A lawyers job is to break down laws into elements and try to prove that some element wasn’t met. You are always presumed to be innocent unless you are proven or found guilty by the Court.
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.
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.
