We value your privacy

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalised ads or content, and analyse our traffic. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to our use of cookies.

Customise Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorised as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyse the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customised advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyse the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

What Are My Rights After Being Issued a Traffic Ticket?

By /

Traffic Lawyer

Traffic Ticket Lawyer FAQ: 

Have you recently been handed a traffic ticket? If so, you may be confused about what you should do next. Chances are you’ve considered paying the fine, but you might have also thought about contesting it. 

Before you ask friends or family how to get out of a speeding ticket, who might give you the wrong advice such as, “Just plead no contest!”, you should know your rights and options. A traffic ticket lawyer can explain this to you in further detail; however, the following should help you to gain a basic understanding of what your rights may be. 

Contesting the Ticket

If you believe the ticket has been issued unlawfully or in error, it is your right to fight the ticket. You may do so by taking your ticket to traffic court and asking to have the ticket dismissed or dropped. If you are considering this, you should be prepared:

  • Know the traffic laws in your local jurisdiction, city, township, county, and/or state. These should be located on your state legislator’s website or the DMV.

  • Gather any documents or information that may be related to the stop. If you have a traffic ticket lawyer on your side, he or she can request this information (i.e. radar gun log books).

  • Have a Strong Defense – What you might think is unfair may not matter from a legal standpoint. Before you claim something like “I don’t agree with the officer,” or “I was running late to work,” you should have a viable defense.

  • Get Help from a Lawyer – Even if you decide to defend yourself, it is highly advisable to seek advice from a traffic lawyer from a law firm like The Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt to assist with getting a better understanding of your rights. He or she may help you to understand your chances of successfully contesting the ticket. You might also decide that having a lawyer on your side will benefit you more than not having one. 

Pay the Ticket Fine

Paying the ticket fine is typically the most obvious and easy approach to solve the situation. Usually, you can pay online, by mail, or in person and not have to go to court. When you choose this, you are pleading guilty. This can, and likely will, result in points on your license, an increase in insurance premiums, and more. 

It is also possible that your license will be suspended or revoked. Additional consequences that could result include career problems, child custody issues, and more. You should weigh out the consequences of admitting your guilt versus fighting the accusation to determine what might be the best decision for you. 

Attend Traffic School

Rather than paying for your ticket, you may be able to attend traffic school, a driver’s safety class, or another educational alternative. This may prevent you from facing large fines and an increase in your insurance. 

Loss of a License

A string of tickets or certain violations, such as driving under the influence, can result in a suspension or revocation of a driver’s license. This can be devastating and have a domino-like effect on your life. If you are concerned about losing your license, or any other consequence, you should call a traffic ticket lawyer for further advice and information.