People are pulled over in California every day. Sometimes, they get off with a warning or a simple speeding ticket. But other times, they get stuck with much harsher penalties like excessive fines and jail time. Even if your violation was minor, your charge can derail your everyday life.
A traffic violations attorney in Tustin can help you avoid a harsh sentence. By negotiating with the prosecution and using every tool available to fight your charge, our lawyers can work to reduce or even eliminate your charge. You can talk to a Simmrin Law Group lawyer for free.
Should I Show Up to Court for a Speeding Ticket?
In some instances, the judge will require you to appear in court for a traffic violation. If you fail to appear in court, the judge will issue a bench warrant for your arrest. You don’t want to add a failure to appear charge on top of your traffic violation.
But you don’t always have to show up to court for a speeding ticket in California. If you don’t want to fight your traffic violation, you can just plead guilty and send your bail, along with your ticket and evidence of any corrections that you were ordered to make, to the courthouse.
However, when you do that, you are letting the court decide your fate and putting a charge on your record. While that violation will eventually go away, the DMV can use it against you for at least three years.
Another way that you can avoid showing up to court is by hiring a lawyer to represent you. With the help of a skilled attorney, you could be able to avoid getting charged altogether.
What Are the Penalties for Traffic Violations in California?
No two traffic violations are the same, so penalties often vary between cases. However, the punishment for a traffic violation often includes these three things:
- Jail time
- Fines
- License suspension
The severity of your penalties depends on the severity of your crime. If you were issued a simple speeding ticket, you’re likely to just see fines and points on your license.
However, if you were arrested for reckless driving, you could see up to 90 days in prison. If you are convicted with a felony traffic violation like a DUI or vehicular manslaughter, your penalties could be even more severe.
If you’re worried about the consequences of your traffic violation, a criminal defense lawyer can help. By negotiating with the prosecution and filing motions and documents for you, the Tustin traffic violations attorneys at Simmrin Law Group could be able to reduce the penalties of your violation or even get your charge dropped entirely.
When Does a Traffic Violation Get My License Suspended?
In California, most minor traffic violations cause you to have one point added to your license. These include:
- Speeding
- Illegal U-turns
- Running a red light
- Unsafe passing
- Failure to yield right of way
Causing an accident also causes you to receive a point on your license, but if you were not responsible for your accident, you don’t receive any points.
More serious violations can cause you to have two points added to your license. These include:
- Reckless driving
- Excessive speeding
- Driving without a license
- Driving on a suspended or revoked license
- Hit-and-runs
While just getting one or two points on your license seems like it isn’t a big deal, they can add up and stay on your record for years. If you receive enough points, your license will be suspended. Your license will be suspended if you receive:
- Four points in a year
- Six points in two years
- Eight points in three years
Points essentially go away over time, but you may need to reduce the number of points on your license quicker than that. Things like driving school can help you get rid of points on your license. An attorney can assess your situation and tell you what you can do to improve your situation.
Is It Worth It to Hire a Traffic Violations Lawyer in Tustin?
It is almost always worth it to get a lawyer for your traffic violation in Tustin. You may not want to bother with lawyer fees, but the money that you pay your lawyer will almost certainly pay for itself in the fines and lost work that you avoid. Just paying for your violation can often be more expensive than hiring a lawyer.
We also encourage people to not attempt taking on their case alone. You may be tempted to challenge your charge by yourself, but you might be unaware of many traffic law intricacies and nuances. You stand a much better chance at reduced fines, lesser sentencing, or a dropped charge if you have an experienced traffic violations lawyer by your side.
If you’re not sure whether or not you should recruit the help of a traffic violations attorney in Tustin, you can always get a free consultation with our team. We can assess your case and tell you what we can do to help. Since we don’t charge you anything for the first meeting, it’s always worth it to at least see what we can do for you.
How Much Does a Traffic Violations Attorney Cost?
Just like the penalties for your traffic violation vary case-by-case, so does the amount that you will pay your lawyer. There are different factors that affect how much your lawyer will charge. Your attorney’s fee will depend on:
- The difficulty of the case: If your case is more complicated or time-consuming, your lawyer fees will be higher. Not only does a more difficult case require more attention from your lawyer, but our team also charges by the hour, so the longer they work on your case, the more they will charge.
- Extra expenses involved: Sometimes, there can be other costs that you and your lawyer will have to pay, including subpoena fees and rides to and from the courthouse.
- The quality of your lawyer: The simple fact is that a better lawyer costs more. That’s why you should be wary of attorneys whose fees seem too good to be true. They’re likely not as experienced or cut corners to save money. You need someone on your side who has a fair price but can also win your case.
At your initial consultation, your traffic violations lawyer will tell you what their rate is and around how much you can expect to pay for their services.
Talk to a Traffic Violations Lawyer in Tustin, California, For Free
A traffic violation can cost you thousands of dollars and follow you for years. Don’t run the risk of losing your license, which could cause you to lose work and other opportunities we take for granted.
The Tustin traffic violations lawyers at Simmrin Law Group want to help you move past your citation. Contact us today to get your free initial consultation.