If you’ve been recently served with a traffic ticket, you might question whether you would require the services of an attorney. If it is your first misdemeanor, it could be just more straightforward to remit the penalty.

But it is essential to acknowledge that settling the fine could be inferred as you accepting blame, whereupon the record could be part of your driving history for up to five years, extending to seven with more severe offenses. Following are a few facts you may find worth bearing in mind before recruiting an attorney.

How can a traffic ticket attorney help you?

Regardless of the triviality of your offense, it is still advisable to consult an attorney. This becomes all the more crucial when you already have other violations in your record for the last few years. Refer to the points below to learn more about how an attorney could aid you.

Drawing up deals: Attorneys will try to reach an agreement with the tribunal for a lighter sentence.

Retain your license to drive: If you already have several traffic infractions throughout the years, your driving license is susceptible to being invalidated. But this could well be avoided should you choose to have an attorney represent you.

Stand on your behalf before the tribunal: You may have committed your infraction when visiting another state, for example. In that case, appointing an attorney could help you avoid long and expensive journeys to the courthouse, as you are being represented by the former.

Steer clear of rising insurance charges: Certain forms of driving breaches could raise the value of insurance premiums offered to you. An attorney could lessen a conviction or even have you enrolled in a traffic school, which can help exonerate you and polish your record clean.

Draw up a plea agreement: A criminal charge entails substantial fines, and you ought to safeguard yourself against them. An attorney could review the prosecutor’s case and identify certain pitfalls that could work to your advantage when challenged- for instance, the detainment, attestations against you, or any discrepancies in the detainment officer’s statements. However, if this is not feasible, your attorney could at least minimize the penalty fees, as well as get you a plea deal whereby you could avoid incarceration in exchange for observation and community service.

How much would a traffic lawyer charge?

There is no specific or general amount; it varies from attorney to attorney. Some may charge a base rate for discrete infringements, for instance, speeding. Others working on more complicated scenarios will be required fees based on an hourly rate.

You could expect general tickets to cost you between $250 and $400, whilst a first-time DUI (Driving Under the Influence) would cost you between $1,000 and $2,000. However, the amount will vary in accordance with where you live and other factors.

Five questions to ask in your quest to find the best traffic lawyer

Many large cities are home to law firms that specialize in handling traffic ticket cases. This is typically a safe place to begin since you know this is their sphere of concentration.  

Be sure to ask your nominees these questions before making your pick:

• What is the duration of your experience in overseeing traffic cases like mine?
• How many similar traffic cases have you effectively mediated?
• How would you characterize the favorable result of my case?
• How much could I expect to incur as remuneration charges?
• Will you be representing me in court yourself, or will someone else from your firm be sent?

It is vital to recognize how much expertise your counsel has with defending traffic lawsuits, as well as how many of them were defended first-hand.

It would be considered pivotal to employ an attorney’s ministrations should you find yourself under the possibility of detention or having your driving license invalidated. Otherwise, if you are found guilty of a less severe infringement, keeping all this information in mind could help you decide when it is best to solicit legal counsel.