There are many situations in which you may receive a traffic ticket. If you accept the charges made against you, you may accrue points on your license. Points and the cost of citations can add up, leading to higher insurance premiums and even a loss of driving privileges.
If you believe an officer issued you an unwarranted citation, it makes sense to contest it in court. Our firm can help, starting with a complimentary case assessment.
Many people disregard the seriousness of traffic tickets and simply accept the charges, pay the relevant fines, and try to move on with their lives. Doing so may help close the case in the short term, but it can hurt you over the long term if you receive additional citations.
Tickets are reflected in your driving history, and too many citations can drive up your insurance premiums. Furthermore, you may be labeled a habitual offender if you lose enough points on your license due to tickets. This can lead to higher fines and penalties for every future ticket you receive. Eventually, you could lose your license or face other restrictions on your driving privileges.
Title 75 of the Pennsylvania General Assembly provides additional details on the charges you can face for violating driving laws. Depending on the circumstances in which you received a ticket, you can face anything from fines of a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars, as well as jail time.
Higher-order fines and penalties are typically issued for tickets involving bodily injuries and property damage and dangerous moving violations such as:
However, the good news is there our team could use many strategies to fight your ticket. We may even be able to argue with the court about the level of the charges you face. This could be crucial, as the charges you face for a non-moving violation will be drastically lower than those you may face for a moving violation that involves reckless driving, speeding, property damage, or bodily injuries.
There are a few methods our team could use to contest your ticket. The best strategy for your case will depend on:
We’ve provided a quick overview of the three main strategies we may consider below.
The first strategy is to appeal to the court that you have an otherwise clean driving history or are, at worst, a first-time offender. This may get you off with a lower charge or even a warning, depending on the specifics of your case.
The second strategy is to show you were falsely accused, arrested, or issued a ticket for violations you did not commit. For example, suppose a driver crossed an intersection with a malfunctioning signal or when the light was still yellow but received a ticket for running a red light. In such a case, we could gather evidence to show they were not guilty of breaking any laws.
Examples of evidence that we could use to support your case include eyewitness testimony, dashcam or surveillance footage, and vehicle tracking devices.
The third strategy is to show you were unfairly pulled over or issued a ticket. There are many situations in which you may be issued a ticket that is not based on the law – whether intentionally or unintentionally.
For example, suppose a driver pays a parking meter toll and places proof of payment on their dashboard, but a traffic safety officer does not see it and issues a ticket. In that case, we could use the timestamp from the receipt and the ticket to show they paid the parking fee and that the parking ticket should be waived.
For a moving violation, our team could build a defense that shows the officer did not have just cause to pull you over. Without just cause, any evidence obtained during the traffic stop is invalid. Using this information, we could argue to have the ticket you received based on this evidence dismissed.
To craft a sound strategy for contesting a ticket, you must understand the basic requirements for driving in Pennsylvania. Operating a vehicle of any type on public roads in Pennsylvania binds you to the local road rules.
For example, you must hold a valid driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle in the state. This applies to truck drivers, passenger vehicle drivers, motorcyclists, and the operators of other vehicle types, each of which requires a specific type of operator’s license.
You must follow these laws. Failure to do so – whether via negligence, willful disregard for the law, or due to a lack of awareness regarding specific laws – can lead to a traffic citation. If you do receive a citation, our team can help you fight it.
If you have reason to believe you were illegally issued a ticket in Upper Moreland or feel the penalties and charges levied against you are unreasonably harsh, we are here to help. As our client, you will have access to your lawyer by phone, email, text, and even social media.
Contact our team at the McKenzie Law Firm, P.C., today to hire a traffic ticket lawyer for your case. Our team is available around the clock to conduct free case reviews. We can walk you through everything you need to know about the case and devise a strategy to help overcome or lower the penalties levied against you.
