Washington County Speeding Ticket Lawyer
Many individuals from all walks of life get speeding tickets at least once during their lifetimes. For many, paying the ticket may not seem like a big deal. For others, however, the consequences of just one speeding ticket can adversely affect their finances and their ability to drive in the future. Multiple speeding tickets and traffic citations added up over time can result in major increases in insurance premiums, high fines, and a loss of driving privileges. If you receive a speeding ticket, it may be advisable to check with a Washington County speeding ticket lawyer prior to deciding how to resolve your case.
A knowledgeable traffic attorney could review the factors concerning your ticket and research potential legal options that may help your case. Speeding tickets can be costly and result in serious penalties. Consult with an attorney who understands the issues that speeding tickets could inflict and who could help represent you in challenging the citation.
Deciding How to Handle a Speeding Ticket in Washington County
When individuals receive speeding tickets or other traffic citations such as reckless driving, they can choose whether to admit guilt and pay the fines, or whether to go to court and try to challenge the ticket. Individuals who decide to just pay the ticket, however, need to be aware of the consequences of doing so.
Once they pay the ticket, they are pleading guilty to a speeding offense, which means that the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) will assess points to their driver’s licenses. Pursuant to Md. Code, Trans. Law § 11.17.13.00, the number of points assessed depends on how much over the speed limit the drivers were going at the time that they received the tickets.
For example, a speeding ticket for going 15 miles over the posted speed limit will result in the MVA assessing two points on the driver’s license. Going 30 miles over the speed limit, however, can result in five points being assessed on the driver’s license.
For an isolated incident of speeding on an otherwise perfect driving record, having a few points assessed is probably not a major worry. However, points add up quickly, and individuals who have a history of speeding tickets and other minor traffic citations could find themselves in trouble as a result. Under Maryland law, the accrual of a certain number of points within a certain time frame may result in the suspension of individuals’ driver’s licenses.
Additionally, speeding ticket fines are expensive, and even a single speeding ticket or traffic citation may result in increases in motor vehicle insurance premiums for a significant period of time. As a result of these potential consequences, speaking to a speeding ticket attorney in Washington County may give individuals the information that they need to make informed decisions about how to handle their speeding tickets.
Challenging a Speeding Ticket
Individuals who want to avoid having points assessed on their driving record may choose to challenge a speeding ticket. To do this, individuals generally must appear in court, and the police officer that issued the ticket also must appear to support the issuance of the ticket. If the police officer fails to appear in court, the judge very well may dismiss the ticket altogether.
If the police officer does appear, however, then individuals will have a chance to present evidence as to why they were not speeding or otherwise are not guilty of the traffic offense.
If a judge dismisses the case, then the individuals are not guilty of the offense and will not have a speeding ticket or points assessed against their driver’s licenses. However, if the judge finds the individuals guilty of speeding, they will be ordered to pay the fines and the MVA will assess the required number of points on their licenses.
Disregarding a Speeding Ticket
Some individuals may be tempted to simply ignore a speeding ticket in hopes that it will resolve itself. Disregarding a speeding ticket, however, is never a good idea. Individuals who neither pay the ticket fines nor request a hearing will eventually receive a notice from the MVA stating that their driver’s license and vehicle registration will be suspended by a certain date if they do not pay the fine.
Even if the MVA sends the letter to the wrong address, individuals still may have their licenses and registrations suspended. Therefore, individuals should consider this information in deciding how to handle a speeding ticket.
Contacting a Washington County Speeding Ticket Attorney for Assistance
When you are trying to decide what to do about a speeding ticket, there are various factors that you should consider, based on your individual circumstances. If you are in this situation, a Washington County speeding ticket lawyer may be able to help you determine your options and make effective legal decisions. Arrange for an appointment to discuss your case.