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If you are like many people, you drive to get to work, transport your children to school and activities, and get your errands done. Getting a ticket can make driving more expensive and even put your driving privileges in jeopardy.
Our Madison traffic lawyer at LaFratta Law can work to resolve a ticket or criminal traffic charge in the most favorable way possible. Working with an experienced criminal defense attorney is the smart and cost-effective way to deal with traffic tickets. To learn more, contact La Fratta Law today.
Virginia Statute §46.2-492 establishes a points system to rate drivers. For every year that you drive safely with no tickets or license suspension, you get a safe driver point. Every time you are convicted of a moving violation, you are assigned between three and six demerit points, depending on the seriousness of the infraction.
Your point score has a big impact on your car insurance rates. More importantly, accumulating too many points can lead to a driver’s license suspension. If you accrue 12 points in a year or 18 points in 18 months, you will be put on probation. One more ticket will lead to a license suspension.
Paying a ticket without contesting it is considered a guilty plea, causing you to receive the demerit points associated with the offense. Fighting the ticket is often the better and more cost-effective option. Our attorneys’ strategy in Madison Traffic Court is always personalized to your specific circumstances and focused on preventing license suspension, minimizing demerits, and reducing fines when possible.
Traffic court is held in the General District Court in Madison. If you appear yourself, you must appear at either 8:30 am or 1:30 pm and wait until your case is called. However, your attorney can appear on your behalf in most cases.
Your legal counsel may plan to enter a not guilty plea on your behalf and request a trial. They may also present proof that the police officer did not use their equipment properly, did not actually observe the offense allegedly committed, or raise other issues that cast doubts about the validity of the ticket. Sometimes the prosecutor is willing to negotiate to reduce the ticket to an offense with no points or fewer points.
Depending on the circumstances, our Madison traffic attorney might advise you to take a driver safety course before the court date. Doing so adds safety points to your driving record and can demonstrate that you take the violation seriously. The court may be more lenient under these circumstances.
DUI, reckless driving, and offenses coming out of serious accidents with injuries proceed differently. You will likely be arrested and criminally prosecuted.
It is especially important to mount a vigorous defense to criminal traffic charges. If convicted, you will have a criminal record that can limit your opportunities for employment, housing, and travel forever. If you are not a U.S. citizen, a conviction may impact your immigration status.
Our defense attorney at La Fratta Law has years of experience securing positive outcomes for people accused of criminal traffic offenses in Madison. A skilled attorney can exploit weaknesses in the prosecution’s case to effectively fight the charges even when there is substantial evidence against you.
You can minimize and potentially eliminate the impact of a traffic ticket by fighting it in court. Hiring a Madison traffic lawyer to fight your ticket can save you time and money. If you face more serious charges, an experienced defense attorney is critical. Contact LaFratta Law to set up a free consultation today.
La Fratta Law
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