Almost every driver has experienced the dreaded traffic ticket at some point or another. No sooner do you accelerate on the highway than you see the flashing lights and siren behind you indicating a wrong-doing. A momentary lapse of good judgment should not, however, tarnish your clean driving record. Knowing how to fight a traffic ticket will ensure that you don’t pay excess fines or get your license taken away. It is extremely important to remember to always respect the law; never get angry with the officer or start arguing with them, as this will only get you further into trouble. Be sure to directly answer all of the officer’s questions in a courteous and polite manner. Do not exit your vehicle unless they ask you to. Another important thing to keep in mind is that you should not openly admit your guilt or try and come up with unbelievable stories or excuses. Let the officer explain your infraction and if they ask if you know what you did, answer with a simple, “No, I don’t.” For a speeding offense, be sure that they inform you of what speed you were going and what the limit is in the area. The name and badge number of the officer will be listed on the ticket, but it can sometimes be unreadable, especially if they have bad handwriting. Be sure to ask them for this information and write it down for yourself, as you will need it for when you go to court. You will also need to ask them detailed and specific questions about the device they used to determine your speed or other infraction and where they were located. For speeding, check for clearly marked signs; if there are none then be sure to take videos or pictures to further prove your case in court. The officer may come to the conclusion that because you are being so thorough with your questions, that the case may get dismissed, and it is not worth the effort of showing up in court. They do not get paid for court dates and hearings, and many of them would rather be spending time with loved ones or friends anyway. If they do not appear, your case is automatically dismissed. Your case can still be won, though, even if the officer does show up. The judge may consider all of your evidence and dismiss the case altogether or lessen the fine that you must pay. For more serious offenses, it may be worthwhile hiring an attorney. There are also companies that are comprised of former police officers that give you advice and tips on how to proceed in court. You will have to decide for yourself if spending money on this type of assistance is needed. Knowledge is power, and gathering every detail possible is paramount to proving your case, whether or not you hire anyone to help you. Immediately after receiving your ticket, file a motion of discovery. This will let you know exactly what you are being charged with, and what type of evidence will be used against you. Volunteering for traffic school may also be a way for you to get your offense lessened or dismissed completely. Not all areas offer this, so be sure to check with your local jurisdiction. There is a great benefit to receiving a refresher course and can help to prevent future tickets and fines. Knowing how to fight a traffic ticket could be as simple as preventing one in the first place.
DUI Lawyer – What to Do When You Are Pulled Over
December 17th, 2011 by admin No comments »If you are charged with driving under the influence, your first order of business should be to contact a good DUI lawyer with whom you can explore your options. He will be a tremendous source of information and advice that you will be unable to get through doing your own research. But before things get to that point, you should know your rights when it pertains to getting pulled over. Police need a reason to pull citizens over. That reason can be flimsy, of course, so you need to be prepared. Here are some of the things you should do when pulled over by the police.
The police will almost certainly ask for your license, insurance, and registration. You can save yourself a lot of hassle and suspicion by having these things ready. You can get pulled over for a variety of reasons, so don’t feel as though you’re somehow above it. When you admit to the police that you don’t have these things with you, you are in for a stern lecture at the very least and a fine at worst. If you don’t have them at all, you could have your license revoked. Make sure you not only have them, but you have them in a readily accessible location. Searching all over the car will test a cop’s patience and make them a bit nervous. You don’t want a police officer nervous on a routine stop.
It’s a common practice for a police officer to then ask you if you are aware of the reason you were pulled over. Even if you just fishtailed across three lanes of traffic in broad daylight, it’s better to just answer this question with “no.” Answering yes could be used as proof of guilt at a later time, so it’s better to say nothing at all. On the flip side of this, don’t start interrogating the police. Any DUI lawyer will tell you that it is a bad idea to intentionally antagonize the police. Some people think getting indignant and condescending will somehow make them immune to the police. Quite the contrary — you’re only asking for trouble.
Field sobriety tests will be next if the officers believe you have been drinking. This is where it is important to know your rights. Depending on where you live, you may not have to submit to any of these tests. If you have been drinking, you may want to refuse. If you do refuse to submit to either a breathalyzer or a FST, you will almost certainly be arrested. However, that doesn’t change the fact that they don’t have an FST failing or a breathalyzer reading to use in court. This opens the door for a DUI lawyer to make a much more successful defense for you at a later time.
