Baltimore Speeding Ticket Lawyer
If you’ve received a traffic ticket that will add enough points to your driving record to cause the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) to suspend your license, you should locate a Baltimore speeding ticket lawyer as soon as possible. An experienced traffic lawyer in Baltimore can help you decide how to plead your case in court, how to investigate your case, and what concessions to ask for.
First Steps in Speeding Ticket Cases
First, consult a Baltimore speeding ticket lawyer who can guide you through court procedures and help you build an effective defense. A lawyer also knows where to look for mistakes in traffic monitoring. When the speed cameras in Baltimore issued 16,000 speeding tickets in less than two months, officials realized that many of the tickets had been issued based on erroneous speed readings. It may be that you were ticketed in error, and if so, you will be able to contest the charge effectively. If the citation was issued by an officer, the officer must present the State’s case, in court, on the date of trial. Testimony from an officer must be very specific and within the guidelines requires by case precedent as decided in the Court of the Appeals, Maryland’s highest court.
Second, you must decide how you will plead. Talking with a Baltimore speeding ticket lawyer will give you a sense of the best options for your situation. Simply pleading guilty by mailing in the citation with payment incurs an automatic payment of the fine, and addition of points to your license. But you can also plead “guilty with an explanation” or “not guilty.” Pleading “guilty with an explanation” allows you to request that your fine be reduced and ask that you be put on probation rather than having your driving privileges suspended due to the accumulation of too many points. The best option, is to “request a trial” and appear in court with your attorney. Here, the State must prove their case through the officer’s testimony and personal knowledge of the alleged event. The results may be a dismissal of all charges or a substantial reduction, possibly including Probation Before Judgment (PBJ) and no points on your license.
Consequences of a Speeding Ticket
If you’ve received a ticket for speeding, you’re probably wondering what the penalty will be. A typical speeding ticket will result in a fine and points added to a driver’s record. If points are adding up on your record, you may experience some or all of the following consequences:
- Points added to MVA record
- Increased insurance rates
- Suspended or revoked driving privileges
- Required mandatory driver improvement and safety classes
- Flagged background or security clearance
You can request your driving record from the MVA online or through regular mail to find out how many points you have accumulated. The consequences of your speeding ticket will depend on the number of points you have accumulated for up to two years prior to your most recent citation.
- 3 to 4 points — You will receive a warning letter from the MVA.
- 5 to 7 points — You must enter a driver-improvement program.
- 8 to 11 points — Your driver’s license will be suspended.
- 12 or more points — Your driver’s license will be revoked.
Contact an Experienced Speeding Ticket Lawyer
If you’re concerned about the possibility of points being added to your record, which will have a serious impact on your driving privileges, there are some actions you can take to contest your ticket or at least request leniency from the court. Whether or not you believe you were guilty of a speeding violation, finding a Baltimore speeding ticket attorney the ticket can help you avoid severe penalties. Take these matters seriously.
With the aid of a Baltimore speeding ticket lawyer you can effectively defend your case or demonstrate before a judge that you are willing to take responsibility for your actions and learn from your mistakes without the necessity of severe punishment.