A traffic ticket is never “just a traffic ticket.” Numerous consequences could affect your ability to drive and even your freedom. In some circumstances, it may make sense to fight the traffic ticket. When you do so, it should be with the help of an attorney who knows how the system works in New Jersey. Hiring a traffic ticket lawyer could give you more of a chance of being taken seriously by a traffic court judge.
You would also find yourself paying increased insurance premiums, depending on the severity of the traffic offense you have been convicted of and the number of points on your license. Some estimates have the cost of insurance rising by as much as $540 per year for three years after a conviction on a traffic offense. Thus, there is real money on the line when you are fighting a traffic ticket.
New Jersey will suspend your license if you accumulate 12 or more points on your license in a three-year period. You would have to pay a surcharge on your license if you have six points on your license during that time. Essentially, that would be two traffic convictions in a three-year period. You would have to pay more for your driving privileges, and your right to dive could even be at risk.
It may make sense to fight a traffic ticket just from the points perspective alone. You do not want to have a conviction on your record because a second or third one could have real consequences for you. There is a chance that you may at least have points not assessed if you show up in traffic court to fight, so it could very well be worth it.
There are some traffic tickets that could either lead to a loss of your driving privileges, or they can put you well on the way to a license suspension. You need to become involved in the legal process for more serious traffic offenses, such as:
You should fight tickets that are serious offenses. Your traffic attorney could present defenses that could reduce the penalty or acquit you of the charges.
You are entitled to due process and the right to be heard when you are charged with a traffic offense in New Jersey. You would have a hearing in front of the judge, just like you would for any other offense. Instead of a trial in front of a jury, your case would be heard in a bench trial. The judge may question you directly about the offense, allowing you to tell your side of the story. If you have hired a traffic ticket lawyer, they could present your case. Your traffic ticket attorney would also get the chance to question the police officer under cross-examination after they have given their testimony. A police officer would issue quite a few traffic tickets, and they may be testifying frequently about many cases in one day, so there is always a chance to weaken their testimony through cross-examination. The judge would issue a decision in your case, and the outcomes could be the following:
More serious traffic offenses, such as DWI and reckless driving would be heard in criminal court, even though they are traffic offenses.
Driving while intoxicated is treated as a traffic offense in New Jersey. Potential jail penalties are still involved in a DWI case, along with the loss of your driving privileges for an extended period.
When you hire a traffic offense lawyer to represent you in your DWI case, they will help you determine whether you have any possible defenses against the charges. They could negotiate a deal on your behalf that could result in reduced penalties. There are no diversion programs in New Jersey that apply to DWI charges, but the prosecutor could lower the charges in exchange for a guilty plea. Alternatively, your traffic offense lawyer could help you fight the charges.
Traffic court judges have heard practically everything from people who come in front of them. It is not a stretch to say that they could be jaded, and they may not listen as closely if you try to handle your own case. An experienced traffic ticket lawyer knows how to present arguments to the judge persuasively, which could get them to listen. They could help you determine the best defenses you could raise to contest a ticket. A traffic ticket lawyer could help reduce your potential penalties or even get you off the hook completely from the charges. Either way, you can present a more credible and stronger case when you hire someone who knows their way around the municipal or criminal court and the individual judges involved in your case. Hiring a traffic ticket lawyer is an investment that could help you from facing even more costs if you are convicted of the offense.
The attorneys at Sanvenero & Cittadino Attorneys at Law represent clients in a diverse variety of courtroom settings. Our attorneys know the ins and outs of municipal courts, and we can use our experience to work for you.
The New Jersey traffic ticket lawyers at Sanvenero & Cittadino Attorneys at Law can help you when you have been charged with any type of motor vehicle offense. You can schedule a free initial consultation with one of our attorneys by filling out our online form or calling us today at 732-743-9665. Our office is in Red Bank, New Jersey, and we serve clients in Monmouth County, Middlesex County, and Ocean County.
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