I wonder how these people can really reduce fines or help get you off the hook of points reduction. Is there anything they do that we can do in dealing with judges and police? I got two over speeding tickets recently and was thinking about going with them.

Be careful. My brother got a $100 ticket and hired a traffic lawyer for $80 to fight the ticket. The lawyer went to court and won then sent my brother a bill for $250 extra for court fees.

davidbeckham said:Is there anything they do that we can do in dealing with judges and police?

They don't have magical powers; anything they do, you can do. The thing is, they have knowledge of how these things work, and what may be possible, and how to obtain it. You don't. If you go to the trouble of learning all about this relatively minor and straightforward area of the law, you can do for yourself pretty much the same as they can do for you.

Same way that nothing a landscaper, a baker, or an interior decorator does is beyond the abilities of mortal men. But many people would prefer paying an expert to handle the job, rather than going to the time and bother of learning it and doing it themselves.

Of course, there are traffic tickets, and then there are traffic tickets. If you have a clean driving record, and you get caught doing 42mph in a 30mph zone, it'll be pretty easy to handle it yourself. (Around here, you'd simply ask the judge for a PBJ - a Probation Before Judgement - he'd likely grant it, and so long as you stay out of trouble for a year, it's as if the incident never occurred.) Whereas if you're facing something like a drunk driving charge, it's potentially far more serious, and more complicated, and paying for expert help might be a wise move.

Oh, and as for Skulles' brother - if by winning the case his lawyer kept his insurance rates from going up $400/year, maybe the $330 expense was worth it. Then again, if his brother could've easily won the case on his own, or if no significant risk of higher insurance rates existed, hiring the lawyer would seem to have been an unnecessary expense. Not enough information provided to say, one way or the other.
--
Michael

There are states where they give points for stated violations.
The auto insurance goes up based upon points.
In such a state it may be of interest to have a lawyer.
The lawyer negotiates with the prosecutor prior to the hearing to reduce the charge to a different charge that carries no points or lesser points.
The lawyers that regularly do it have more expertise than the client. A FWer could try it the inexpensive way by just searching the internet, but the lawyer has been doing that service much longer.

The lawyer also has the experience to get the client off in case the officer did something wrong in getting the speed. The lawyer gets records of when the speed calculating device was last checked and calibrated. The lawyer gets the details of where and how the officer made the reading, etc.

If you decide to enter a plea of not guilty, you'll receive a notice in the mail of your trial date. It could be a year or more away.

Once you get a trial date, you have the option of sending in a request for disclosure, which you should fax in and keep the fax receipt as evidence of your request. By requesting disclosure, you are requesting information from the Provincial Prosecutor's office relevant to your case (i.e. the police officer's notebook). If this is not disclosed to you within a reasonable amount of time before your trial, you can request that the case be thrown out, although more likely it will just be delayed to a future date. Before your trial date, you should call Old City Hall to see if your disclosure is ready for pick-up: if it was ready but you don't come pick it up, it won't help you in court.

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google for your particular state.

http://respect.to/wiki/pmwiki.php?n=LegalInfo.HowToFightTrafficTickets
If the officer does not show up, the ticket will be thrown out. If you receive disclosure, and the officer shows up for court, you'll want to have some sort of case ready. Visit the ARC library to look over info on legal issues, rolling stops, etc. Note that witnesses must be present, they cannot send a written statement. You will have a chance to question the officer. In this situation it is not easy to win the case unless you have compelling evidence that you did not do whatever you are charged with. You can change your plea to guilty with an explanation and ask for a lesser fine on the basis of not having the money, however you may also have to pay some minor court costs.

OOoooo! The room is thick from mystery.... just who IS Mr. Beckham, and why does Mr."haven'd did that already" roadwarrior313 seem to know the OP. Hmmmmmmmm.

Hmmmm - I think I've watched the Twilight Zone too many times

thekid72 said:OOoooo! The room is thick from mystery.... just who IS Mr. Beckham, and why does Mr."haven'd did that already" roadwarrior313 seem to know the OP. Hmmmmmmmm.

Hmmmm - I think I've watched the Twilight Zone too many times

Yes. I wish I am a friend of David Beckham so I can freeload of off him.