I only have one experience in this area. I hired a lawyer the morning I got a speeding ticket (28 over in a construction zone...I didn't want the six point ticket and double fine). They charged me a $300 flat fee and got it reduced down to a 2 point non-moving violation, with a $40 fine, and a driving class ($90). I have no idea what the fine would have been (cop wouldn't tell me), but most certainly more than what I paid (plus, it's a non-moving violation, so no insurance hike). I'd say hire the lawyer, but sit down for a consultation (first half hour for the one I used was free) and get a feel for them...don't just base it on price. This was in Denver BTW...let me know if you need a good recommendation for a lawyer.

 

What exactly do these traffic lawyers do that you can't? How can they get tickets reduced like that?

 

lawyers know the system. since they are at court so often they know how to manipulate certain tickets to allow you to get the least sentence possible for the offense u commited. ppl who try to fight tickets independantly usually hope the officer isnt there, or most often accept what the officer offers them in terms of a plea bargain. there are a lot of resources available to help the average joe shmo fight their ticket, but again those little details are always left to the insiders. also lawyers know the law, and if they have to take the ticket to hearing they know the best way to fight them.

before u get any lawyer and sign any retainer, make sure u meet with a couple first. make sure u ask questions like how long they have been in practice/how long they have been doing traffic law/ how big is their staff (very important, like nurses and doctors)/ what can u realistically expect them to be able to obtain for u/ and ACCESSIBILITY (this is key, since 95% of lawyers will either return ur call a week later or never at all)

if the courthouse is located far from the office of the attorney u choose, be sure to get a flat-fee for the entire ticket litigation, as otherwise lawyers will charge for review of the file/travel time/appearance time/report time. these all add up big time.

if i was u, try and pick a bigger firm, as if any other later issues arise with u legally, u always got that firm behind u, and u wont have to go do additional research for another firm to represent u in that matter.

 

I live in Illinois. Here, having a lawyer will save you an hour or so because lawyers' cases get called before the judge first. Many people feel that this is enough of a reason to get a lawyer. If time is not worth money to you, then you can forego the lawyer. Just talk to the prosecutor and ask if you can have supervision and tell him you are willing to pay a fine. Usually, all they want is your money and will be satisfied with the fine. Again, it works this way in Illinois but I don't know about NYC.

 

it's a 100 bucks here. It saves the time of going to court 2 seperate times (once to plea and once for trial) Each time is one day from work, and I make more than 50 dollars a day so...it's worth it.

Hooman

 

wish we had the same supervision rule in CA as some of u others do ... over here we can get traffic school and not get the point, but we cant get it again for 18 months ... plus we cant have any tints in the front at all .. on top of all that sacramento (governator's city) is spending millions creating task forces to crack down on "ricer" or "vip" looking vehicles. word is they try and find one illegal thing on ur car (i.e. clear corners et al), and just hand u a referee ticket to go out to BFE and have ur car inspected. damn im jealous of u guys back east ...

 

but we only get 1 point for speeding and 2 points for reckless. They get multiple points for excessive speeding.

But California cops are more ****. Oh well.

Hooman

 

Get the lawyer.

I had 3 violations all rolled up into one 500$ ticket (that I felt I didn't deserve at all), that I recieved up in Washington. I hate freaking Washington cops. I've been to many many states and your cops are by far the biggest jerks on the roads.

Back in Oregon I looked online for a traffic lawyer that worked in the county I got the ticket in and over the phone she told me that she charged 800$ to do all the work and all I had to do was mail her my ticket and a check and she would appear for me in court and take care of it. A few weeks later I found out that she won the case by having evidence dissmissed.

Granted I could have probably learned all the traffic rules and maybe found some way to beat the ticket but this just worked out sooooo much easier and probably saved me thousands of dollars in insurance sur-charges.

Without a doubt I will be fighting every speeding ticket I ever recieve from here on out... and probably with the help of a traffic lawyer.

 

there is a list of documents you can request from the state before a trial. If they can't provide all of these documents, you win. That's how most lawyers do it. Unless they know a Assistant DA or Judge or something.

Hooman

 

just out of curiousity, how did it go up to 16points all of a sudden?

did you get another ticket?