Speeding
A speed limit is put in place to keep drivers safe on the road. North Carolina follows an absolute speed limit law, which means you can be pulled over and receive a ticket for going even one mile over the posted limit. Depending on the circumstances around the violation, a speeding ticket can result in up to 3 DMV points and up to 4 insurance points. Excess speeding can cause your license to be revoked, meaning you could lose driving privileges.
Failure to Stop at Stop Light/Stop Sign
Despite being extremely dangerous, running a red light or a stop sign typically results in 3 points against your license and 1 point against your insurance.
Driving While Impaired
If you are charged with a DWI offense, contact a North Carolina DWI attorney immediately. DWI convictions can result in a minimum of 24 hours of jail time and a fine of up to $200. This is the best-case scenario with a DWI. The most severe punishment for a DWI conviction is 12-36 months in prison without parole and a fine of up to $10,000.
Penalties for Traffic Violations
Traffic violations carry a wide range of penalties attached to them. The penalties can range from minor fines to jail time and often a permanent mark on your driving record. Even minor violations can cause a sudden spike in your insurance premiums and go on your driving record. Other traffic violations can result in license suspension or revocation and jail time.
These are complicated issues that are hard to navigate alone. To avoid the penalties associated with traffic violations, you need an experienced Jacksonville traffic ticket lawyer like Aden Wilkie on your side.
How Do Lawyers Dismiss Traffic Tickets?
A traffic ticket attorney cannot always clear all the charges, but experienced traffic ticket lawyers can often lower the penalties or work to keep your record clean. For example, attorneys may use a clean driving record as leeway to get a ticket dismissed or reduced. In other instances, advocating for traffic schools can reduce the punishments attached to a ticket.
In many cases, a ticket with a fixable issue can be dismissed with no fine. This includes expired registration, driving without insurance, or a broken taillight. If the driver has evidence that a fixable offense was taken care of, the ticket is sometimes dismissed. An experienced traffic ticket attorney can help clients avoid a suspended license and keep their driving privileges intact.
How to Get a Speeding Ticket Dismissed in North Carolina
There is no real formula for getting a traffic ticket dismissed in North Carolina. There are a lot of factors involved in getting a ticket dismissed or reduced. If you have an overall clean driving record and were not speeding in excess, the ticket is sometimes dropped to an improper equipment violation. This is a non-moving violation conviction and will not affect your insurance or DMV points. You may still have to pay the court costs and fines associated with an improper equipment violation. Signing up for traffic school before you go to court can potentially help reduce a ticket, as well.
You can also pursue a PJC, which is a “prayer for judgment continued.” This means that you would still plead guilty to the violation, but the judgment is ongoing. The traffic violation conviction would go on your driving record, but it would not put any insurance or DMV points on your record. You are not entitled to a PJC; you can only receive one per household every 3 years. If you receive a ticket for another traffic violation in the next 3 years, you would receive the points for both of the violations at once.
What Should I Do After Getting a Traffic Ticket in North Carolina?
If you get a traffic ticket, it is in your best interest to immediately contact a traffic ticket attorney serving in your area. An experienced attorney can go over the specifics of your case with you and provide you with answers and guidance about how to proceed.
All tickets issued in North Carolina have a court date listed. For some minor violations, you can choose to waive the court appearance by paying the fine online and moving on with your life. For other traffic tickets, you may have to make multiple appearances in court to settle any legal matters. Overall, it is best to get the help of a skilled attorney to help navigate the situation. Neither the judge nor the prosecutor can give you any legal advice if you have questions in court.
Is it Worth It to Get a Traffic Violation Lawyer?
According to North Carolina law, it is not necessary to hire a lawyer or an attorney for traffic violations. You can always go to court yourself and wait as they process hundreds of similar tickets. But, if you have any legal questions about how points can affect your insurance or license, both the Judge and the prosecutor are not legally allowed to answer you. So when would it be appropriate to get a traffic attorney to help you with your case?
Benefits of Hiring a Traffic Ticket Attorney
Hiring a traffic violation lawyer to handle your traffic ticket can take a large burden off your shoulders. Many traffic tickets require an appearance in court. Failure to appear can result in an indefinite suspension of your license. If you hire an experienced traffic ticket lawyer like Aden Wilkie, you don’t have to worry about court appearances. By obtaining his legal services, Aden will handle all court appearances for you. This is especially helpful for people who receive a ticket in an area where they don’t live or if they don’t have the time to sit through hours of traffic court.
It may even be worth it to hire a lawyer for the sole purpose of understanding North Carolina’s complicated point system. An experienced attorney can give you up-to-date legal advice relevant to your case.
NC Traffic Violation FAQs
For professional drivers who rely on their clean driving record and driver’s license for a living, a skilled attorney is highly recommended. A professional driver is often held up to different rules and standards than the average driver. An experienced Jacksonville criminal defense attorney can help you through the confusing process of the North Carolina Traffic Court System.
There are some situations where the legal services of a traffic ticket lawyer are simply not needed. After discussing the details of your case, Aden may conclude that it would benefit you to take care of the ticket yourself. You may even be able to take care of your ticket online without the need for appearing in court.
In other instances, it may be in your best interest to obtain the services of a traffic lawyer. It may seem like a costly expense you don’t need but hiring a traffic ticket attorney has plenty of benefits that will justify the cost. Remember, an experienced traffic ticket attorney like Aden Wilkie can provide legal information and resources that you can’t get from anyone else in the courtroom.
By paying the fine on a traffic violation ticket, you are automatically found guilty of the offense. Pleading guilty to a traffic violation can put points against your license and your insurance. As previously mentioned, points against your license can cause your license to be suspended or revoked. Insurance points cause a dramatic increase in insurance premiums. Even one point against your insurance can cause a 30% increase in your premium for three years.
Before deciding, we encourage you to call Aden Wilkie at The Wilkie Law Group a call for a free case evaluation. He will go over the details of your case and decide the best way to move forward while answering any specific questions you have about your case.
For more answers to FAQs, visit nccourts.gov.
Why You Need a North Carolina Traffic Lawyer Like Aden Wilkie
Hiring a North Carolina traffic attorney like Aden Wilkie can save you a massive amount of time and stress. Navigating the confusing traffic court system may make you want to just go ahead and pay the fine and accept the consequences. We’re here to tell you that you don’t have to. As a civilian defense attorney, the Attorney at Law Aden Wilkie works on many different types of criminal and civil cases, including those involving traffic infractions. To make sure you get the best resolution to your traffic ticket, call The Wilkie Law Group today!
It must be noted that anything stated on this page is to provide general information about the law. The information listed does not constitute legal advice. To create an attorney-client relationship and begin the process of hiring Aden Wilkie to defend you, call his Jacksonville law office at (910) 548-7846 to schedule your consultation today!
It is crucial for you to have an experienced traffic violation attorney on your side. Contact us today at (910) 548-7846 for a consultation and decide for yourself if The Wilkie Law Group is the best choice for you.
