Do I Need to Call a Traffic Ticket Lawyer?
You may wonder if you need a traffic ticket lawyer for your traffic citation. Some believe they do not and will simply just pay the ticket received. Later on, they may learn that paying the ticket has now resulted in a letter from the Secretary of State regarding a driver’s license suspension. Once that letter is received, a traffic ticket lawyer will be needed to try to undo the suspension issue that resulted due to the paying of that ticket.
It is always a good idea to consult with a traffic violation lawyer regarding your traffic ticket regardless of the type of ticket that has been received. Most people do not know that simply paying a traffic ticket can result in a driver’s license suspension or have their insurance rates increased. You are not required to consult with a traffic ticket lawyer if the traffic citation you were issued does not rise to a criminal offense such as a criminal misdemeanor traffic ticket. However, it still is in your best interest to do so especially when your driver’s license status may be affected.
If you have a clean driving record and received a traffic ticket that does not require a Court appearance, then you may be able to pay the traffic ticket and receive court supervision without even having to go to Court or speak to a traffic ticket lawyer. Unfortunately, not every situation rises to this favorable outcome. Some traffic tickets require a mandatory Court appearance such as traffic tickets that are issued due to car accidents, operating a vehicle with no insurance, hit and run incidents or other misdemeanor traffic tickets such as aggravated speeding or reckless driving. If you have received such traffic tickets, then you should contact a traffic ticket lawyer immediately to discuss the traffic ticket issued. For traffic tickets that are not misdemeanors, it is possible for an attorney to attend Court on your behalf if you cannot make it and even resolve the issue without you present in Court. If you received a non-misdemeanor traffic ticket and do not appear in court or you do not have an attorney appearing on your behalf, then an automatic conviction known as an ex parte conviction may be entered against you by the Court. For traffic tickets that are criminal misdemeanors, you are required to attend Court with your attorney unless excused by the Judge. For petty tickets, most counties in the Chicagoland area will allow an attorney to stand in for the driver issued the ticket and resolve the case without the driver having to appear. An affidavit and or certification of verification will be required to enter into a plea deal without a driver being present in court.
CDL Drivers
If you have a CDL (commercial driver’s license), it’s especially important to have a traffic ticket lawyer represent you. Depending on your driving record, a traffic violation can result in the suspension of your commercial driver’s license. This is particularly critical because your employment depends on your ability to drive commercial vehicles. An experienced traffic lawyer will know how to navigate the process to achieve the best possible outcome for you. While not all tickets can be amended to non-moving violations, there may be other outcomes that could benefit your situation, such as reducing the charge to a less serious violation, or you may need to go to trial.
Defenses
Additionally, you may have a defense to your traffic citation which may require a trial. A traffic ticket lawyer with substantial trial experience may be able to successfully defend your traffic ticket based on the defenses that you may have.  We have substantial trial experience. We represents those cited with all types of traffic citations. Contact our law firm for a free consultation to discuss your traffic ticket.