As a criminal defense attorney, I routinely encounter and represent people who have been charged with all different types of charges and levels of criminal offenses. It’s pretty safe to say that, if you’re arrested and charged with Driving While Intoxicated, Assault, or Burglary, you’d probably see the benefit in retaining a lawyer to help you resolve those types of charges as favorably as possible due to the seriousness of the potential punishments and consequences. However, many people don’t seem to be aware of the benefits that an attorney can provide when dealing with and resolving traffic tickets and other Class C Misdemeanors such as Public Intoxication, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Noise Violations.
When you’re pulled over and cited for speeding or some other traffic offense in Frisco, Texas, the encounter usually lasts about 5-10 minutes, the officer releases you after having you sign the citation and promise to appear at the Frisco Municipal Court to resolve your ticket, and you go about your way. You aren’t usually placed under arrest. You don’t have to post bail. And, you don’t face any jail time. So, why hire a lawyer to resolve the traffic ticket? Read on!
Why You Should Never Just Pay a Traffic Ticket?
First thing is first. Most people do not realize that simply going to the Municipal Court and paying for their Frisco traffic ticket at the clerk’s window is the equivalent of having been found guilty of the offense. This leads to a permanent conviction on your driving record, which can lead to increased insurance premiums, annual surcharges, and even the suspension of your driver’s license, depending on the specific offense.
What are the Benefits of Hiring a Frisco Traffic Ticket Lawyer?
There are several benefits of retaining an attorney to help you resolve traffic tickets and other Class C Misdemeanor offenses that you have been charged with in the Frisco Municipal Court.
Protect Your Driving Record — As I mentioned above, retaining an attorney to resolve a traffic citation helps ensure that the ticket does not result in a final, permanent conviction on your driving record. Whether by straight dismissal, conditional dismissal, deferred disposition, or other means, an attorney can work with the city’s prosecuting attorney to protect your driving record.
Save Time — One of the biggest gripes that people have about receiving a traffic citation is the amount of time that it takes out of their lives. You have to make a trip to the courthouse, figure out where to go once you get there, and wait in line which usually takes anywhere from 1 to 3 hours. If you hire an attorney to handle your traffic citation, he or she can appear on your behalf and save you valuable time.
Save Money — Traffic citations and other Class C Misdemeanors can carry fines and penalties up to $500 to $600 a piece. However, most of the time the fines and penalties for a single citation average from about $150 to $250. An attorney can work to get any fines and penalties associated with your traffic ticket significantly reduced. In fact, in most of the cases that I handle, I can–at the very least–get the fine reduced enough to cover the cost of my representation fee.
Get Frisco Municipal Court Warrants Lifted — If you find out, for some reason or another, you have a warrant issued for your arrest due to a citation you received through the Frisco Municipal Court, the only way to get the warrant lifted is to either plea guilty and pay the citation (which we’ve already decided is a bad idea) or post a bond, which is usually between $200 to $500 depending on the offense. But, if you have a lawyer, he or she can post a bond for you. For example, if you miss a court date or deadline on a public intoxication charge, the only way you’re going to be able to get the warrant lifted is by posting a bond of $379. But, by hiring a lawyer, you’ll probably pay the lawyer at most $500 to handle the entire case, and that will include getting the bond posted and the warrant lifted. So, in the end, you end up saving money.
Make an Informed Decision — One thing that I always overhear whenever I’m at the Frisco Municipal Court is the court clerks telling people “I can’t answer that for you, we aren’t allowed to provide legal advice, you need to speak with an attorney,” and so on and so on. This is true. The clerks aren’t lawyers. They can’t provide legal advice. So, what do you do when you’ve been waiting in line for 40 minutes while you’re on your lunch break, you finally get up to the clerk’s window, request to take a driver’s safety course, and the clerk informs you that you aren’t eligible for defensive driving and asks you what you want to do? Is it true that you aren’t eligible for defensive driving? If so, what are your other options? Will that option result in a final conviction on your driving record? Are there any other consequences associated with your options that you should be aware of? Retaining an attorney to help you resolve your traffic ticket will ensure that you know what all of your options are and the benefits and consequences of each one.
“I didn’t do it!” — Let’s not forget one of the most obvious reasons to hire an attorney if you’ve received a traffic ticket. What if you did not commit the offense for which you have been charged? Or, what if you received a ticket for something that isn’t even a traffic offense? (Yes…I’ve actually had cases where officers have issued tickets for things that are perfectly legal!) Unfortunately, simply informing the court clerk that you “didn’t do it” isn’t going to fly. If you wish to dispute the citation that you have received, the only option that the clerk will present to you in Court is to set your case for a trial where you will be expected to follow the rules of evidence, code of criminal procedure, and go up against an experienced attorney who prosecutes cases just like yours on a day to day basis. Retaining a lawyer will level the playing field and force the city’s prosecuting attorney to meet their burden and prove you guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Even though most traffic offenses and Class C Misdemeanors aren’t punishable by any jail time, your constitutional rights still apply. You are presumed innocent until proven guilty. If you have received a Frisco traffic ticket or other Class C Misdemeanor in the Frisco Municipal Court, I invite you to contact me at (972) 372-4054 so that I may help you and answer any questions that you have!