Police officers can issue traffic citations for a host of different reasons. Many people receive tickets because they exceed the posted speed limit. Police officers can pull people over for failing to maintain their vehicles, choosing not to use their turn signals, driving too aggressively or conducting a rolling stop.
Paying a ticket is the same thing as pleading guilty. The state and those checking a driver’s record assume that the motorist committed the traffic infraction if they paid the ticket afterward. If drivers have too many citations on their record, the state can suspend their driver’s license. Many motorists also worry about how a ticket could increase their insurance costs.
People can and do successfully fight traffic tickets in court. What does that process typically require?
Dispute claims made by a police officer
Perhaps a police officer used a device to estimate a driver’s speed that had not undergone proper maintenance and calibration. There could be questions about the accuracy of the results produced by the device.
Maybe a police officer assumed the worst during their interactions with the driver and accused them of inappropriate or reckless behavior, but they have grossly misinterpreted the situation. Perhaps the officer only had a limited view of what happened, so they missed important details. Ticket defense strategies can prioritize contesting the police officer’s version of events and showing that the driver did not intentionally violate the law.
Provide a reasonable explanation
Sometimes, there are extenuating circumstances that make otherwise illegal traffic behavior understandable. Perhaps the driver was in the midst of a medical crisis or was on their way to address an emergency at home. There can sometimes be extending circumstances that lead to the courts deciding not to impose penalties for a traffic violation.
Circumstances can also raise questions about whether a driver’s actions warranted a citation. Even the general flow of traffic could influence the validity of a ticket, as adhering to the speed limit while everyone else exceeds it could make the slower motorist an obstacle to others in traffic.
Discussing a citation, the situation leading to a ticket and a driver’s recent record with a skilled legal team can help people plan a traffic ticket defense. Those who successfully defend against pending citations can avoid finds and other consequences associated with major traffic violations.