Atlanta Traffic Ticket Lawyer
Trusted Atlanta Traffic Ticket Lawyers Ready To Fight For You
Nothing makes your heart drop quite like the sound of sirens and the blinking of lights in your rearview mirror.
Most of us have been there before. Even great drivers can miss spotting a change in the speed limit, forget to turn their lights on at dusk, or miscalculate the length of that yellow light on the way to work. For most drivers, mistakes are rare, and getting ticketed is even less common. When we do get pulled over for a lapse in judgment, we pay our fine and resume our relatively safe driving habits.
We tend to assume that the traffic police, at best, are there solely for our protection and the general public’s protection at large. At worst, perhaps they are more interested in generating revenue for the county, but most of us are willing to accept this as long as we are only being ticketed for unsafe driving behavior.
Our Atlanta traffic ticket lawyers at Kimmey & Murphy, P.C. are there to help you fight for your rights and help you lessen or even avoid big penalties incurred in traffic fines and tickets anywhere in Atlanta.
When It’s No Longer About Safety
Unfortunately, society does not always conform to our idealistic expectations. Too often, drivers are penalized for mistakes they did not actually make. Speed traps are set up to generate excessive revenue at the driver’s’ expense. Unfair penalties are leveled at first-time offenders. Ambiguous incidents are ruled decisively in favor of the most powerful insurance company represented.
Does any of this sound familiar? There are a wide variety of incidents in which traffic law can be abused. If you’ve been unfairly targeted, harshly punished, or find yourself in a situation where your best interest as a citizen is not the priority, you’ll want the help of an experienced Atlanta traffic ticket lawyer. Our veteran team has been serving Georgia since 1985. With over 30 years of experience working with traffic law, we know how to provide effective representation for practically every type of case. Give us a call right now to get started!
Aggressive Driving and Reckless Driving
A variety of common moving violations, including speeding, improper passing, and excessive or improper lane changing can be turned into a much more serious Aggressive Driving or Reckless Driving citation if the ticketing officer deems the upgrade appropriate. Aggressive Driving and Reckless Driving are taken extremely seriously by the courts and come with a large number of points to your license, significant fines, and potentially the requirement to complete lengthy, expensive, and inconvenient driving courses.
Certain behaviors may justify an upgraded ticket, but officer discretion can sometimes lead to unfair outcomes. Your ticket could be upgraded simply because the officer was in a bad mood or disliked your attitude. Unfortunately, it’s common for officers to use discretionary clauses to escalate traffic offenses. If your ticket was unfairly upgraded, you may have grounds to seek justice.
Don’t accept excessive punishment for a simple mistake. Our experienced Atlanta traffic ticket law team can potentially lower your charge to a lesser offense or even have it expunged completely. Call us right now!
Driving With A Suspended License
If you’ve been caught driving without a valid license, you are facing a host of serious consequences. Jail time, hefty fines, points on your license, and lengthy further suspensions are all on the table. Driving with a suspended license has a minimum jail requirement of 2 days and typically comes with a $1,000 fine.
Unfortunately, a past mistake is unable to put your current responsibilities on hold. You might mean well, but simply need to drive in order to keep your job, care for your kids, or attend to any number of life’s necessities. With the help of experienced representation, it is sometimes possible to have the charge reduced to a lesser offense, or at least to significantly lower the penalties incurred. Factors such as suspension dates, official notice, and extenuating circumstances will sometimes be considered by the prosecutor or traffic court judge. It is in your best interest to have an experienced Atlanta traffic lawyer to help present your case in the most positive and convincing light.
Failure To Maintain Lane
A Failure To Maintain Lane citation can be written in a variety of circumstances other than simply drifting over the median. You might find yourself the victim of this citation after being run off the road by another driver, hydroplaning into a curve, or even for simply turning too quickly. As this citation adds 3 points to your license and comes with a fairly large fine, officers will sometimes use it as a catch-all for unfairly penalizing drivers in a variety of situations.
FAQs on Traffic Tickets in Atlanta, GA
How many points will be added to my driving record for a moving violation?
The number of points you will receive depends on many factors, including the violation that you are cited for and other factors like your speed. Some common traffic violations and the points they cause on your record include the following:
- Unlawful passing of a school bus – 6 points
- Reckless driving; improper passing on a hill or curve – 4 points
- Possession of an open container of alcohol while driving; failing to adequately secure a load – 2 points
Speeding-related offenses include between 2 and 6 points, depending on how many miles over the speed limit you were driving.
I’ve never been in court before, but can’t I handle my traffic hearing on my own, without an Atlanta traffic ticket lawyer.
When you enter traffic court in Atlanta, you are entering a very busy and often confusing scene. The dockets are packed, and the prosecutors and judges are simply trying to make it through the high number of cases scheduled for that day.
With so many cases to address, time is of the essence. So take a moment and picture what it would be like to be in this place without an Atlanta traffic ticket attorney by your side.
Within moments of your name being called, you will be fed a great deal of information by the prosecutor and judge. They will announce your alleged infraction and immediately seek to know what you want to do.
Should you plead guilty, not guilty, or nolo contendere – and what are the consequences of each? While the judge may try to “walk you through it,” the simple fact is that she doesn’t have the time. A proper explanation of all that is going on is not the job of the judge or prosecutor. So if they are the only attorneys in the room, there is no one on your side who can translate all of the legalese for you.
And to make matters even worse, after barely explaining anything, the judge will look to you to answer some very important questions. You will be expected to make immediate decisions about things that you do not fully comprehend, and those decisions could impact your driving record, your bank account, and even your life over the next 12 months should you get probation. When the judge looks at you and demands answers to crucial questions, your only chance of fully grasping the repercussions of your choices is to have an Atlanta traffic ticket attorney by your side. They can prepare you for the onslaught to come before you even step foot in the courtroom.
I’ve been offered probation – should I take it?
This is a complex question that requires some thought before jumping in. Sometimes, in Atlanta traffic court, probation is presented as something of a “gift.” Particularly if you’ve had multiple traffic charges in your past, you may believe the prosecutor when they suggest probation “to give you time to pay the fines” in your case. And while this may be a good idea in your situation, it also may not be.
Probation is a long commitment. It typically involves taking classes that cost money, doing community service that takes time away from your life, and having a probation officer looking over your shoulder for the entire duration. And while it is typically a preferable alternative to jail, you are still giving up important rights. Your probation officer is allowed to come into your home and inspect whenever they feel like it. Now it is true that probation officers on traffic cases do not always visit people’s homes, but the fact is that they can legally do this. You are giving up much of your right to privacy by agreeing to probation.
Also, you may not realize that, while on probation, you cannot commit any other offenses, or you can be sent to jail for the remainder of your sentence. Even another traffic infraction or a minor misdemeanor like possession of cannabis can land you in jail if committed while on probation. So again, going over all of your options with your Atlanta traffic ticket lawyer can have a lasting positive impact on your life.
How much does a speeding ticket cost?
The cost of a speeding ticket depends on how much over the speed limit you were driving and the location. Generally, speeding tickets range from $150 to $350. In addition to the fine, other penalties can include increased insurance premiums and potential court costs if you choose to contest the ticket.
You may think that paying a $150 traffic ticket is a lot cheaper than hiring an Atlanta traffic ticket lawyer, but you may not be considering the possible consequences you are facing by pleading guilty. You may face a much higher fine amount than you realize. You may also be required to take and pay for a driving course. Some traffic offenses can result in jail time during which you can accumulate a criminal record that impacts the rest of your life. You may be required to complete community service, taking away valuable time with your family. It is also common for insurance rates to go through the roof after receiving a traffic ticket conviction. It is often in a driver’s best interest to hire a lawyer to help avoid or mitigate these risks. Let our team Atlanta traffic ticket lawyer help you.
Should I contest my speeding ticket?
In some situations, it is much better to contest your speeding ticket than to simply pay it. For example, Georgia does not assign any points for a speeding violation that is less than 15 mph over the posted speed limit. It may be possible to get the violation dropped to this range so that you do not accumulate any points. In other situations, you may be able to reduce your ticket to a non-reporting violation, which does not appear on your driving history. If a ticket was issued to you in error, you might want to contest it. This can help you maintain lower insurance premiums. A skilled Atlanta traffic ticket lawyer can discuss the particular circumstances involved in your case and make recommendations based on the strengths of your case.
Call Our Speeding Ticket Lawyer in Atlanta, GA
Our skilled Atlanta traffic ticket attorneys have been practicing law since 1985. We understand the system, its potential for being exploited, and the keys to seeing justice served. Traffic courts see such a high volume of cases each day, that there is often little patience for victims of unfair ticketing who can’t quickly and precisely present a legitimate case. If you’re facing traffic violations or unfair ticketing, contact our offices to speak with an experienced Atlanta traffic court attorney who can provide you with effective legal representation and help protect your rights.
Our experienced Atlanta traffic ticket lawyer is familiar with the judges and prosecutors in traffic court. We have relationships with these individuals and will advocate for a lighter sentence or dismissal of your citation. There may be inadequate evidence that may allow us to get the case against you completely dismissed. In other situations, we may be able to negotiate a lighter charge to help you avoid jail time or points on your traffic record.
You will want the help of proven Atlanta traffic ticket attorneys if you wish to fight back and avoid excessive fines and penalties. Fortunately, with the right representation for traffic ticket defense, thousands of victims just like you have their penalties lessened or expunged each year. Give us a call right now to get started with a skilled speeding ticket attorney in Atlanta, GA!