Receiving a traffic ticket
Receiving a traffic ticket can be enough to ruin anyone’s day. Whether the driver admits that they were breaking the law or feels that they have been wrongfully accused, most people just decide to pay the fine. At first glance, this seems like the easiest, least stressful approach, but the attorneys at Ferrer Shane Gonzalez want Florida drivers to know that paying a ticket isn’t necessarily the best option.
Feelings of guilt, anger and frustration often accompany receiving a citation for a moving violation. The whole thing seems like an enormous hassle, especially because now you have a deadline by which you must respond. Typically, drivers have 30 days to either pay a ticket or protest it. However, there can be variations to this deadline depending upon the jurisdiction in which the ticket was received. Be certain to review the ticket to find out the deadline. Missing that deadline can carry some pretty serious consequences in itself, so it’s best to keep the timeline in mind regardless of what you ultimately decide to do.
When you get a traffic ticket, you have two main options for responding. You can either pay the fine or hire a traffic attorney. At first, you might wonder whether or not hiring a lawyer is worth it. Aren’t they expensive? Does a ticket really merit going to such extremes as hiring legal counsel? The answer is yes, in many circumstances.
Consider what happens when you simply pay the fine. In essence, payment of the fine is the same as pleading guilty. Your record automatically has a conviction on it, and that can have far-reaching consequences. If you already have a poor driving record, one more conviction may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. You may be in line for having your driving privileges suspended or revoked. That’s certainly inconvenient, but for those who earn a living behind the wheel, it can be devastating. Imagine losing your commercial driver’s license because of one more speeding ticket. That’s the kind of consequence that can make hiring a traffic attorney a no-brainer.
It’s similarly important to consider the implications to insurance. Insurers are getting increasingly strict when it comes to raising rates for drivers who have tickets on their records. Insurance is already pretty expensive, and most people just can’t afford to pay an additional $50, $100 or more each month for car insurance.
Traffic Attorney
The other option is to hire a traffic attorney like the practitioners at Ferrer Shane Gonzalez. They are experienced Miami lawyers who have built a practice by focusing on one area. This focus provides them with unusual insight when it comes to the technicalities of Miami traffic courts. If there is an error or a mistake on a client’s ticket, they are quick to spot it. A mistake made by the officer or law enforcement agency may be enough to get a ticket dismissed. That means no guilty plea, no conviction, no fine and no increase to insurance rates.
Even when a ticket is completely without flaws, hiring an attorney still makes sense. That’s because the lawyers at Ferrer Shane Gonzalez are skilled negotiators who have spent many years developing relationships with local traffic courts. They know who to talk to and what to say when it comes to trying to get a ticket reduced. They may be able to get the amount of the fine lowered, keep the driver out of traffic school or avoid having points added to the driver’s record. Those are all extremely worthwhile outcomes.
Contact Ferrer Shane Gonzalez today if you have received a traffic ticket. You have a limited window of opportunity in which you must respond to the ticket. Legal representation in Miami traffic court is more affordable than you think, and it just might keep a blemish off of your record.
