Can You Get Out of Your Traffic Ticket?

Anyone who lives in the Philadelphia area knows that driving in the City of Brotherly Love can be stressful. With so many people traveling in and out of the city every day for work and pleasure, police are always on the lookout for moving violations. Speeding, running red lights, reckless driving, and malfunctioning vehicle equipment can all result in you receiving a ticket.

Penalties for moving violations can be relatively minor – like a small fine – or they could cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Some infractions can even result in a license suspension or jail time. If you are charged with a moving violation, you may feel that your ticket was issued unjustly. Maybe you know you weren’t speeding, or that you went through an intersection when the light was yellow. Maybe you didn’t know that your driver’s license was suspended or expired. . In cases like these and others, it can make sense to challenge your ticket.

Luckily, starting the process of challenging your ticket is relatively simple when you contact a criminal defense attorney near Montgomery County, PA. Criminal Defense Attorney Mark. D. Hauser can assist you in the process. Here’s how to get the ball rolling:

Challenging Your Traffic Ticket

You can dispute a range of tickets, from parking tickets to red light camera tickets, on the City of Philadelphia’s website. Here, you will find specific instructions on how to get started. You should be aware that you must dispute your ticket within a certain timeframe in order for it to be considered. This is 15 days for a parking ticket or 30 days for red light camera and speed camera tickets. This timeframe may vary for other types of infractions, so it’s always best to start the process as soon as possible after receiving the ticket.

Once you formally dispute your ticket, you will be assigned a trial date. It is very important that you appear at this trial or it can be held in your absence. Contrary to popular belief, the officer who issued your ticket does not have to be present at this initial trial date.

You may also be able to request a pre-trial meeting with the District Attorney’s office that can save you the trouble of having to appear in person. After speaking with you, the DA may offer you a deal to downgrade the charge or withdraw it entirely.

Do You Need a Lawyer to Fight a Traffic Ticket?

While it is possible to take all the steps listed above on your own, your chances of successfully beating a traffic ticket will be greatly improved by speaking to a criminal defense attorney. According to data collected by Philadelphia Judges and Court Administrators, about half of all moving violation cases result in a not-guilty verdict, or in the charges being withdrawn.

Your odds of beating that traffic ticket are pretty good, and speaking to an attorney is your best chance of being successful. For minor charges and small fines, you may save yourself some trouble by just paying them, but for more serious charges, especially those that can result in probation or jail time, hiring an attorney is a must.

Mark D. Hauser has successfully defended countless clients in their criminal cases, including those who were charged with traffic violations. Call (267) 584-4093 right away if you need a traffic court attorney in Philadelphia, or if you need representation in a range of other criminal cases.