12 Signs You Need to Hire a Traffic Violation Attorney
Discover the top twelve signs that you need to hire a traffic violation attorney today. Click to learn more and protect your driving record!
Courier Post Online reported that from 2023 to 2024, New Jersey police wrote 1.88 million traffic tickets. The figure shows a 4% decrease from the previous year but doesn’t account for parking tickets or arrests for driving while intoxicated (DWI).
If your name is now on one of those traffic tickets, too, you may wonder if you should hire a traffic violation attorney.
In most cases, getting professional legal help for traffic tickets is the best and wisest move. However, having a highly experienced lawyer is even more crucial if facing the most severe consequences of traffic tickets.
To that end, our team at the Law Office of Steven Ellman put together this guide. Read on to discover the top signs indicating you should hire professional legal counsel and the primary traffic lawyer benefits you can expect.
1. You’re Not Guilty
Police misconduct doesn’t always involve physical violence; it can also take the form of fraud or unfair treatment, as the Police Brutality Center explains. It further notes that a study found that individuals who had perceived unfair treatment from a law enforcement officer were more likely to suffer from mental health conditions, such as depression.
Anyone can experience police misconduct, including you, who, despite not having done anything wrong, is now facing a traffic violation. If you’re 100% certain the officer who wrote your ticket didn’t have any grounds to do so, hire a traffic violation attorney ASAP.
Your lawyer will dig deep for evidence that the officer who wrote your ticket is guilty of misconduct. They’ll use this as your defense to fight your violation.
2. Your Violation Is for Highway Racing
New Jersey Statutes § 39:4-52 prohibits racing on public highways. Under this law, anyone who does is a “disorderly person.” Upon conviction, this person must pay a fine of between $25 and $100 for the first offense and between $100 and $200 for subsequent offenses.
It may not seem bad, but NJ Stat. § 39:5C-1 adds to the penalties a possibility of imprisonment of up to 90 days. You could either pay the fine, go to jail, or do both.
According to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission’s (NJMVC) Points Schedule chart, racing on a highway also incurs 5 points on your driving record or driving history abstract. It’s one of the traffic offenses with the highest points penalties.
Points aside, the fact that you could go to jail for racing on a highway should be enough reason to hire a traffic violation attorney. After all, getting a conviction can have far-reaching effects on your life outside of driving, which we’ll discuss in more detail below.
3. Your Violation Is for Reckless Driving
NJ Stat. § 39:4-97 makes it illegal to drive a motor vehicle heedlessly, in willful or wanton disregard of others’ rights and safety, or in a way that can endanger other people and property. Anyone found to do so is guilty of reckless driving.
If your traffic violation is for reckless driving, you risk getting imprisoned for up to 60 days. You may also pay a fine of $50 to $200 for a first offense. Depending on the nature of your case, the court may demand both.
If it’s your second or subsequent reckless driving violation, your fine will be between $100 and $500. You may also face jail time of up to three months.
Per NJMVC’s Points Schedule chart, reckless driving, like highway racing, incurs 5 points on your New Jersey driving record.
4. Your Violation Is for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI)
A DWI carries heftier, more severe penalties than racing on a highway and reckless driving. Under N.J. Stat. § 39:4-50, DWI convictions are punishable by:
- Fines ranging from $250 to $1,000
- Community service
- Imprisonment of up to 30 days for first offenses
- Imprisonment of up to 90 days for second offenses
- Imprisonment of not less than 180 days for third or subsequent offenses
- Demanding you forfeit your right to operate a motor vehicle
- Requiring the installation of an ignition interlock device
- Other mandatory hefty fees
With all those severe repercussions, you should not delay hiring a DWI lawyer in New Jersey.
5. You Need to Drive for Work
One of the worst long-term consequences of traffic violations, especially convictions, is that they may affect your employability. Jobs that involve driving, for instance, require a clean driving record. If you get convicted of a traffic violation, your current and future job opportunities could be on the line.
The inability to gain employment can affect your entire life because if you can’t work, you can’t earn income, and without income, how would you survive?
6. You Feel Worried About Insurance Rates
According to AutoInsurance.com, speeding tickets can increase car insurance premiums by 21%. So, if a speeding ticket is enough to cause that spike, imagine what a racing, reckless driving, or DWI conviction can do.
7. You Already Have Existing Driving Points
There are many other less severe traffic violations in New Jersey, such as:
- Failure to give proper signal
- Improper backing or turning in a street
- Failure to stop at a traffic light
- Failure to yield at an intersection
- Wrong way on a one-way street
While those are only minor violations, they can still add 2 points each to your NJ driving record. Once you reach 12 points, the state will suspend your license. Reinstatement requires completing an MVC-managed Driver Improvement Program, paying a restoration fee, and, in many cases, appearing for a hearing.
8. You Need to Appear in Court
On a traffic ticket, the left-hand side has a box labeled “Court Appearance Required.” You must appear in court if there’s a checkmark on yours. If you don’t (e.g., you have work you can’t miss or something else you must attend to that’s just as important), the court can and will proceed with the case, even without your presence.
Depending on the severity of your violation, the judge may give you another chance to rectify your failure. Or they may immediately suspend your driving privileges. Worse, they may issue a warrant of arrest.
9. The Evidence Is Against You
It’s different when you know you were at fault for a traffic violation and when mounting evidence proves it. It can make you feel cornered, put you under pressure, and force you to agree to all the fines and penalties.
The problem is that agreeing to the penalties and paying the fines means you’re pleading guilty. When you plead guilty, your traffic ticket won’t go away. On the contrary, it will appear on your permanent record and, once there, affect your life long-term.
10. You’re Not Confident of Your Negotiation Skills
Negotiation is integral in legal proceedings, especially when dealing with the potential consequences of DWI charges in New Jersey. However, effective negotiation requires an in-depth understanding of all state laws, viable defenses, and evidence for such defenses. So, unless you’re a lawyer yourself, chances are, you may be unable to negotiate properly and defend your rights.
11. You Face the Risk of Suspended Driving Privileges
Even if you don’t need to drive for work, losing your privileges to operate a motor vehicle can affect your life in other ways. For example, you may have to use New Jersey’s public transportation options. While extensive, they’re not 100% reliable; according to ABC7, many NJ Transit commuters even say that delays and cancellations occur far too frequently.
Such delays and cancellations are more than just inconveniences; if they cause you to be late, they can also affect your standing at work.
Your other option is to take cabs when you need to go to work or somewhere else. However, you know how expensive that can get. Worse, if there’s an emergency, you can’t guarantee that you’ll have quick access to transportation.
12. You Want the Best Outcome
You want the best outcome for your traffic violation case, which is enough reason to hire an NJ traffic violation attorney. Highly experienced lawyers bring years of knowledge, skills, experience, and court representation for traffic violations. With one on your side, you can expect them to:
- Argue for reduced penalties and fines
- Provide evidence to reduce or prevent a jail sentence
- Develop a solid defense, especially if dealing with possible police misconduct
- Negotiate the retention of your license or shorten the length of suspension
- Prevent or minimize the points you’ll incur
- Represent you in court and guide you on what to say and do
- Get your charges dismissed
Even if your lawyer can’t prevent all your case’s repercussions, they can still negotiate a more favorable plea on your behalf. Plus, with them working tirelessly on your behalf, you can worry less and feel less stressed.
Steven Ellman: A Traffic Violation Attorney You Can Trust
Whether you’re not guilty, are facing a severe offense that can land you in jail, or your driver’s license is at risk of suspension, you should consider hiring a New Jersey traffic violation attorney. With one on your side, you have a higher chance of fighting your charge’s short and long-term consequences.
Steven Ellman can represent you, in and out of court, for your traffic violation charges. For nearly four decades, he has successfully defended over 1,000 clients, many of whom faced the most severe charges, including complex DUI and DWI cases. He’s an award-winning attorney respected by his peers for his dedication, expertise, and compassion for his clients.
So, contact the Law Office of Steven Ellman today and request your free, confidential consultation.
