Requesting Reductions Online in NC Speeding Cases vs. Hiring Traffic Lawyers

NC offers an opportunity to request a reduction on speeding via the NC Courts online portal. This service is highly limited by speeds charged, most tickets will not qualify within the ranges allowed. For example, at 19 mph over you no longer have the option to request an online reduction. Mandatory appearance is required. Also, another problem is waiting until last minute, the system shuts you out if you wait too long. The most significant reason for not using this system is that it makes offers that are not optimum.

For example, I’ve had clients call me and tell me they were offered a 9mph over reduction on a speeding ticket that I could easily appear on and get either a 0 point Improper Equipment or a full dismissal. Also keep in mind, no one on the other side of that reduction system is paying attention to past violations on your record, particularly in NC, that would trigger DMV suspensions or blast insurance rates upward.

Suspensions in NC in particular, are shockingly easy to get for even minor 9mph over convictions, with a prior record you do not want to play around. If you have no prior record, a better deal than online reduction is almost always available. In NC, unlike many states in the US, there are no minor speeding and traffic tickets that are best handled by paying off through the state system. Contact an experienced Traffic Lawyer today!!!

CALL NOW! 828-575-8417

Is A Free Consult Really Free?

With me, the short answer is yes! I’m always happy to spend 10-15 minutes discussing facts of a case, and what I can do to remedy it, and the costs involved. Once I give a potential client a game plan, and show them that I know what to do, and how to do it, they are usually ready at that point to buy my time. To me the consult is free to you but it’s an investment to me, in our future relationship, and my business opportunity to help you as a client. If you like what you hear, I bet you’ll pay me to take action on your behalf!

I once called a law firm to determine if I had a potential case and if they would be interested in it. I figured 10-15 minutes on the phone with a good attorney could determine if we had a good reason to proceed, and an overview of costs would be easy enough. Instead, what I got was a phone answerer who stated that I could schedule a phone call for an upfront $200 consultation fee. Now there are some areas of law such as domestic/divorce where consult fees are necessary, and sometimes even I charge to review records, and formulate game plans for cases that are revolving more in the unknown. Sometimes that is unavoidable, for example, if you’ve lost your license and have no idea why or how to determine, sometimes I have to spend a significant amount of time checking records and court files to determine where you are with the situation. But really? $200 to tell me if you can even help with my situation? I just don’t see it necessary to be that way. When people know or should know that they are bugging you or wasting your time repetitiously, that would be another exception to my customs.

Fortunately, in 90% of cases we can do a 10-15 call and find out what you need and how much it will cost. Once you decide to hire me, my consult is paid for, and I’m so confident you’ll want to use me for your issue, that I’m willing to front that free time to you with no obligation to proceed. The thing I try to do is answer or call back in the same day, and if you get me on the phone, I’ve almost always got 10 minutes to run through game plans. Don’t hesitate, call an experienced Asheville Traffic Ticket Attorney Today!!!

CALL NOW: 828-575-8417

Changes in Dealing With Traffic Tickets & Speeding Tickets in Hendersonville, NC (Henderson County)

As is often the case in the business of lawyering at criminal and traffic court level, the elected District Attorney sets policy and dictates who leads teams of assistant DAs in district traffic court. With the change of District Attorney in Hendersonville last year, the new DA, Andrew Murray brought these exact type changes.

So what does this mean for my case? Well, thus far, as the new “regime” has settled in, and different individuals have become in charge of different policies, the negotiations have been much stricter. This honestly means that there has never been a better time to retain an attorney on your Hendersonville traffic ticket case.

Many defendants in speeding and traffic cases have no idea that lining up in traffic court means you’re going to randomly be waiting to speak to one individual assistant district attorney. This means that person alone will decide your fate on an offering of reduction, or offering of nothing possibly. Being quite honest, there are certain assistant district attorneys that I would never waste my time to speak with about speeding tickets, because they don’t give the best bargain. That’s nothing personal against that individual, it’s just their tendency to be offended more by speeding or certain speeds, etc. Often times certain assistant DAs will literally tell me, “take it to someone else, I hate that stuff and don’t want to reduce it”.

If you’re dealing with charges for speeding or other moving violations in Hendersonville, NC, don’t waste a day of your life in traffic court hoping you get lucky. Let us appear for you and make sure the optimal mitigation plan is being followed for your case. Call and experienced WNC traffic ticket attorney today!

CALL NOW: 828-575-8417

Should I Ask For A PJC (Prayer For Judgement Continued) In My Charlotte, NC Speeding Case?

This is a difficult question to answer a lot of the time. If your speeding case in Mecklenburg County is charged below 26mph over, then it is definitely a possibility. The State of NC bars PJC by statute at speeds charged above 25mph over, so DMV will ignore these judgements at this speed and revoke your license anyway.

In my practice, I always save PJC for a last line of defense, because it’s still a conviction of whatever you are initially charged with. Sure it saves some insurance costs/fines, but can you eat the criminal level conviction even though it is a petty one? Some defendants decide they can/others not. Is your license issued from a state other than NC? If so, you probably will not want to pursue this option as your home state DMV will likely ignore it as well. This is a unique NC legal concept that is only observed in NC. These are the type considerations we weigh in determining whether or not to pursue this outcome.

If you are charged with a moving violation in Charlotte, NC, you need a skilled traffic attorney to consult and appear for you in Mecklenburg County court on your court date. Make no mistake, your license and insurance could be on the line, and even though a PJC may be a possibility in court here, it may not at all be the best line of mitigation for your traffic ticket case. Call to speak to an attorney in Charlotte, NC today!!

CALL NOW: (704) 323-6779

Speeding Reductions to Improper Equipment, 0 points, in Charlotte, NC

If you are cited for speeding in Charlotte, NC, and are questioning how you can get this charge down to a 0 point outcome, or at least mitigate it below criminal traffic level to an infraction, our office can definitely help! Mecklenburg County District attorney will likely offer us a plea deal for Improper Equipment Speedometer on speeding charges up to a certain point.

This means if you’re estimated to have been traveling more that 20mph over the limit, your chances of getting this deal begin to dwindle more for every mph over that 20mph over range. As with any jurisdiction, a favorable driving record is likely to help, and we’ll usually request an uncertified copy of your state’s DMV record to take with us when we appear for you. If your record and/or speed above the limit don’t support an offer from the State for Improper Equipment, there is almost always something we can come up with to mitigate the damage to your license or insurance.

Each case is obviously very unique, so to determine a best case solution for your situation, be sure to call to speak with an experienced Charlotte, NC Speeding Ticket Attorney today!!!

CALL NOW!! (704) 323-6779

The Role of Plea Bargaining In Resolving Criminal Cases (In NC, Your Ticket is probably Criminal!)

I recently consulted a client who was disturbed by the idea that we would have her speeding ticket recharged as an Improper Equipment Speedometer. “What does this mean?” she asked. “My speedometer is fine as far as I know, I don’t want to lie, that is whats wrong with our system!” She exclaimed! Most speeding (16 mph over in 55 or up Zone) in NC is criminal level and must be handled in Court, despite what Highway Patrol errantly tells you on the side of the road about just paying the ticket, someone has to appear and deal with the state and/or a Judge.

This where the idea of plea bargaining comes from folks. Everyone knows in the case of an Improper Equipment Speedo, that your Speedo is likely just fine. It’s not lying, it’s plea bargaining. The state has an impossible case load to prosecute, particularly if every case when to trial with a plea of not guilty. So how does the state encourage movement of the calendar of cases while still incurring some responsibility on the defendants in minor cases? They plea bargain. This is a traditional procedure that promotes judicial efficiency, and is encouraged by the State and Judges, because they both know the docket is impossible to manage without it.

So the natural custom is that the cases that are more egregious get less consideration for a bargain, while the first timers, clean records, and less egregious cases get the best deals. This further complicates when you consider that each assistant DA working within a certain set of parameters can be completely different than other assistant DAs in the same office. Further, cases that must be called up in front of a Judge can be denied for plea bargain by the Judge, but another Judge may accept that same deal. The procedure is so encouraged in our Judicial system, that NC has a statute that provides an automatic continuance to a plea bargain denied by any Judge, so that the case can be scheduled for plea bargain to another Judge who may accept.

Traffic ticket cases, whether you are charged in Asheville, NC or Charlotte-Mecklenburg, NC areas, are some of the most plea bargained cases in our Judicial system!!! This is why if you’ve been charged with a NC traffic ticket, you need a Charlotte, NC Speeding Ticket Attorney or an Asheville Traffic Lawyer Today!!!!

CALL NOW!! 828-575-8417

Charlotte Mecklenburg Traffic Violations

As our firm grows, we get requests/calls to handle speeding, and traffic tickets all over NC. As a result of this growing demand, we are bringing the same boutique service to Charlotte, NC, that we’ve brought to the Asheville area nearly a decade! Charlotte is obviously the center of Mecklenburg County, and is the largest and busiest city in NC. Charlotte is a fast growing, densely populated metro area, which is now attracting transplants from all over the United States. Don’t be taken by surprise with NC traffic court procedures and NC DMV action! You’ll want a skilled NC traffic ticket lawyer for any speeding or traffic related charges.

I cut my teeth, so to speak, on a student practice license in Mecklenburg County many years ago, while a student in Law School, so I’m no stranger to the Mecklenburg courthouse in downtown Charlotte. Mecklenburg court house processes massive numbers of cases, but just like the rest of NC, they also handle the speeding and traffic violations in criminal district court. This means mandatory appearances in many cases, and it means dealing with district attorneys before the case goes to a judge, and choice of which assistant DA to negotiate with is often a key concern. District attorneys in NC have supreme power to dismiss and reduce minor traffic cases, so that often Judges are never involved in the process, counter to what many people believe. This is information you need to know ahead of time, and in my experience, only an experienced speeding ticket attorney can truly be confident, and ready to handle these cases.

Whether you’ve recently moved to Charlotte, NC, or you were in town on business/pleasure, don’t take on the task of facing the courts in Downtown Charlotte, wasting time and stress for potentially sub par outcomes. Equally important, don’t rush to pay a ticket that is payable online, because that does not circumvent insurance and DMV impact afterwards. Call our office, and get me on the phone the same day, that is the difference with our firm, you will talk to me, usually the same day you call, and I can give you a sound game plan no matter how benign or severe your traffic violation may seem.

CALL TODAY! 828-575-8417

A Note To Florida Drivers Who've Been Charged With Speeding In Asheville, NC

Asheville NC’s Beauty, Culture, and mild weather draws transplants from all over the United States. Not to mention, millions of visitors each year. No state provides more visitors or transplants to Asheville than the sunshine, gator and orange state, Florida! Home of Mickey Mouse! Unfortunately, many Floridians are not at the happiest place on earth when they are dealing with Mr./Ms. State Highway Patrol!

I have a “Florida” preface to each phone conversation with Floridians when they call, particularly if they haven’t relocated to our area and learned the ropes completely yet. In Florida, when you’re caught speeding or for some other moving violation, the mighty “Ticket Clinic” firm is the household name many Floridians rely on. The service and economical cost that they have achieved for ticketed Floridians is truly impressive. Unfortunately, that framework does not exist in NC, and our court costs and fines are among the highest in the nation!

Base court costs for any negotiated ticket in NC is currently $191, no less. That also doesn’t include the fines that the local District will levy on top. When you get a reduction of speed, an Improper Equipment plea, etc., it will cost typically at least $191 to $300 to resolve the ticket. Furthermore, the Florida Ticket Clinic’s massive volume allows it charge attorney fees that are shockingly low. NC’s framework for handling tickets doesn’t allow for this type of convenient charge. In NC, all tickets, including infractions, are adjudicated in criminal district court. Sometimes this is set up as an administrative traffic court, sometimes it’s not.

The vast majority of our deals never go before a judge, as NC district attorneys have supreme discretion to reduce and dismiss these charges. We find ourselves in NC chasing assistant district attorneys daily , in order to get the best deal for our clients. The fees as a result of this framework, are routinely significantly more than what a Florida native might expect. At the end of the day, a typical deal with court cost and fines will run around $500, sometimes slightly more or less depending on the charge and the county.

If you’re from Florida, I have verified that the moving violations you receive here in NC can affect your insurance premiums negatively. Don’t make the mistake of paying the ticket because you think we’re taking you to the bank! Believe me, that is big business Insurance’s job!!! If you’ve been charged with speeding or other violations in Asheville, NC or surrounding areas, call an experienced Asheville Traffic Lawyer Now!

CALL TODAY: 828-575-8417

Failure to enter An Asheville weigh station, cdl drivers

For CDL drivers, often it is a requirement to enter an operating weigh station when passing through Asheville, NC in your big truck. If highway patrol catches you failing to comply by passing the open station, you'll likely be charged with an offense.

These tickets are payable, or waivable, and do not require an appearance, however it is highly unadvised to do this in NC. Shockingly, these are waivable but still misdemeanor level Offenses in NC! A charge like this is as good an example of when to call an Asheville traffic lawyer as there is! Don’t pay the ticket and plead yourself guilty!

In Buncombe county, these type charges are often negotiable to a non moving infraction, or civil penalty type plea. For example, an Improper Equipment speedometer (0 points) is often a good outcome here for most commercial drivers. You may pay slightly higher fines than the ticket, but when your profession is on the line, this is a no brainer.

I’ve negotiated these charges in Ashevile, and Madison County (Marshall) on a regular basis, as they are charged in these places routinely. I know which assistant DAs to talk to, and i’ll save you time in court with no appearance necessary, and maybe even save your job!

Call an experienced Asheville speeding ticket lawyer today!!

CALL NOW! 828-575-8417

Passing A Stopped School Bus In Asheville, NC

Passing a stopped school bus is a very common Asheville area traffic violation that I deal with. Make no mistake, this charge is not a simple pay it ticket, this is a class 1 misdemeanor, with a mandatory court appearance. Passing a stopped school bus carries a hefty $500 fine, and you can forget your trusty PJC request, the statute prohibits that solution on this charge.

If the criminal consequences aren’t enough, passing a stopped bus carries 5 license points, and you’ll see a near doubling of NC liability insurance premiums with a conviction. This is definitely a charge you’ll want to call your Asheville Speeding Ticket Lawyer to handle!

These charges happen to good folks, who usually are caught not paying attention in a bizarre type traffic situation, such as 4 lanes without a median, a bus stopped in the school parking lot (Yes I had a teacher assistant charged this way once!), or other different scenarios where the bus passing wasn’t as clear as you’d think. In fact, it’s rare that I see passing a stopped school bus as a clear cut, and blatant disregard for the stopped bus by just blasting around it’s flashing red lights in the left lane. I’m glad to report this. However, make no mistake, if Deputy Dog or Barney Fife are in the vicinity, and see what they believe is an arguable case, they’ll often write you up by the book! But don’t give up yet, there is hope here, call an experienced Asheville traffic attorney to save the day!

First off, If we’re on the job, you’ll likely never need to appear in court for this charge. Typically, taking into consideration a decent driving record, I’ve been able to achieve complete dismissals of these charges in selected cases. Even when a dismissal wasn’t available, we can typically get you to a benign level moving violation, infraction 1 point offense. The costs/fines are greatly mitigated in these cases as well, often compensating for a significant portion of the attorney fees you’ll pay.

I also realize that these charges are often filed after the event, sometimes with law enforcement knocking on your door later. Don’t hesitate to call for a free assessment of your unique situation:

CALL NOW: 828-575-8417

Is The Pandemic Winding Down? What About My Asheville Traffic Ticket Case?

I’m no scientist or doctor, but lets hope as of this writing, the pandemic is in fact winding down. What I can say with some degree of certainty, is that the NC Court system seems to be slowly picking up where we left off. Its been a wild Winter! Court appearances in Asheville have largely been continued out, or in the case of many minor offenses, completely dismissed. It appears this tradition may be winding down.

The calendars have been largely continued through April and beyond, and I’ve noticed my phone ringing with more consistency as these court dates draw nearer, requiring attention. If your case has been continued throughout the winter (the Clerk of Court has been notifying by letter) then you may wonder if in fact your case will be due to handle on the upcoming late Winter/Early Spring court date. It appears the answer to this is yes, the court system appears to be picking back up with these dates, and the courtesy dismissals of minor speeding/etc. seem to be going away.

If you have a traffic ticket case in Asheville, scheduled for late March 2021, or later, It’d be safe to assume the time to contact an Asheville Traffic Attorney is now! Call today and let’s find a solution to your traffic ticket problems!

CALL NOW: 828-575-8417

Covid-19 And My Traffic Court Appearance

So how is the Covid-19 pandemic affecting your court date right now? More likely than not, it has been continued and is still pending resolution. Most jurisdictions in NC have enacted some type of altered traffic court framework so that defendants can get in to deal with these cases in the safest and most efficient manner. It’s inevitable that they would have to do this because the dockets just keep swelling in a backlogged fashion if not.

In my opinion, court is one of the worst places to go in a pandemic. Why? Entering a closed off building with a bunch of stressed out people just doesn’t seem optimal to me. But guess what? If your violation is pending, since it’s probably not going to go away on its own, leave it in the hands of a good speeding ticket attorney! We can navigate the hallways and offices you aren’t allowed to access, and get in and out quickly and efficiently, not to mention we’ll get the right and best outcome you need for your case.

If you don’t want to brave the court house, or you’d just like to see your case handled now instead of months from now on the date the State set it for, give us a call, and put a skilled attorney in your corner to handle your moving violation in Asheville !

Call Today: 828-575-8417

Moving Violations For CDL/Truck Drivers

When you drive a truck for a living, moving violations are a killer. Your company is probably not going to be happy, as their rating is affected by your tickets. While Speeding does get charged to truck drivers, it is not even the most common ticket I see in Western NC for CDL truckers, as is the case with every day drivers.

One of the most common violations we see in Western NC, particularly Buncombe (Asheville), Henderson, Polk, Haywood, McDowell, is the designated lane violation. This rule requires big rigs to stay in the right lane. I hear it all the time, “I was trying to get over, but the cars had me blocked”, and guess what, State Highway Patrol doesn’t seem to care! These violations CAN be handled in the majority of cases, don’t ever pay a designated lane violation without first contacting a traffic lawyer.

Another common aggravation for truck drivers is weigh station violations. If the light is lit up, you have to stop for inspection! If you don’t, Highway Patrol will run you down and charge you with a misdemeanor violation for skipping the weigh station. Fortunately, we’ve had good success negotiating these violations in Western NC, so that your record and job doesn’t get ruined.

Watch out on the highways in Western NC such as I-40 that regulate truck speeds lower than car speeds! If you think the speed is 55 and you’re rolling down the mountain around 60, the limit might be 35 for big trucks! This can make a nasty CDL speeding violation charge here in Asheville.

At the end of the day, if you’ve been charged with a traffic ticket or violation against your CDL license, regardless of what state it is from, if you were here in the Asheville area, call an experienced traffic attorney today!

CALL NOW!!! 828-575-8417

How Do You Get A Ticket Dismissed?

Often times my clients confuse a dismissal with other reductions, such as reduced speed or Improper Equipment. They believe the reduction means their ticket was dismissed. In reality, a dismissal is much better of an outcome. A dismissal is when the District Attorney or their assistant files a dismissal of the charge, i.e., there is nothing to show on your record at all, as if it never happened more or less. So how can hiring an attorney aid in getting a full dismissal such as this?

Dismissal is only possible for speeding and other violations under certain conditions. First of all, your record and history as a driver is key. For example, how severe was the speed you were charged with, or if it is a stop sign violation, was there an accident? These are all important aspects of the case, combined with your driving record, that will determine whether or not we can get a ticket dismissed altogether. But that’s not all, that’s only half the battle in determining if a dismissal is possible. What’s the other half you ask?

Knowing your District Attorney, the assistants themselves who have the authority to dismiss, and the judicial district you are in is super important. I can tell immediately by judicial district whether or not a dismissal on any given citation is possible or not. Also, within judicial districts, certain Assistant District Attorneys exercise their discretion differently, just like everyone has different opinions in life, they each view certain charges differently, and act on them as such. So at the end of the day, experience and knowledge of the district and it’s customs, coupled with your driving background, and the citation severity, is key in determining a shot at dismissal. Either way, an experienced local traffic court attorney is invaluable in knowing who to go to in various situations. Besides, you’d rather not go to court anyway, right? If you want to know if you can get your ticket dismissed, call Jody, your Asheville Traffic Attorney!

Call Now: 828-575-8417